


Back To School

by Mistymay6886



Series: Magnus Bane, Psychic Detective [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Psych Fusion, Asexual Character, Asexual Raphael Santiago, Fluff and Humor, High School, Humor, M/M, Magnus Bane-Psychic Detective, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Pre-Slash, Series, Slash, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-04-22 14:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 42,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14310690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mistymay6886/pseuds/Mistymay6886
Summary: Back To School:Part 6 of:Magnus Bane-Psychic Detective SeriesWhen Alec’s little brother and his friends suspect something suspicious is going on at their school they hire Magnus to investigate,He decides the best way to do this is to go in undercover as a substitute teacher…Magnus, as ateacher…What could possibly go wrong?Yeah, umm…It’s chaos





	1. If These Are The Best Days Of Our Lives…

**Author's Note:**

> ** Back To School: **
> 
> ** Part 6 of: **
> 
> ** Magnus Bane-Psychic Detective Series **
> 
>  
> 
> When Alec’s little brother and his friends suspect something suspicious is going on at their school they hire Magnus to investigate,
> 
> He decides the best way to do this is to go in undercover as a substitute teacher…
> 
>  **Magnus** , as a **_teacher_** …
> 
> What could possibly go wrong?
> 
> _Yeah, umm…It’s chaos_
> 
>  
> 
> ** Beginning Notes: **
> 
> _Okay, couple things real quick:_
> 
> I know the last two stories were a bit out of my wheelhouse, which is exactly what I **_wanted_** and I really love how they went, but here we’re going back to the fun, crazy psych style antics, Magnus craziness, and fluff…
> 
> I am really looking forward to this one, have been since the start of the last one…
> 
> But I needed to get that all sorted first
> 
> Next, basically the first five (Well six counting the oneshot) stories I have really been focusing on Raphael and Simon (I can’t help it, they distract me). I **_had_** said that their relationship would progress faster than Magnus and Alec, and I really love how they are going.
> 
> I really wanted to get them together, I wanted Simon to show progress, and I really wanted to get Simon in on the secret; to do all that, I really needed to focus on them
> 
> And I have no regrets, cause I absolutely adore them (at this point Raphael has officially passed Magnus as my favorite Character)
> 
>  
> 
> That being said, I know the Magnus/Alec stuff has kind of been shorted so I’m gonna start making up for it now.
> 
> If you saw the notes of the last story you know we have five stories till the big get together…
> 
> **I intend to use that time wisely by:**
> 
>   * Throwing every excuse for kisses or compromising positions at them I can think of
>   * Having Magnus Fluster Alec as much as humanly possible
>   * Fluster Magnus a few times too, just for the hell of it (turnabout’s fair play after all)
>   * Get them so close to acting like a couple that when they actually ARE, they realize they’ve pretty much been a couple for quite a while, just were missing a few things (Like a clue)
>   * Basically I want to do all the things that just won’t work after they get together
> 

> 
> _So, what do you think…Sound like fun?_
> 
>  
> 
> Kay…On to the actual story
> 
>  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****
> 
> ** Story Updated 11-22-2018 **
> 
> (So I finally finished my first ‘season’ I actually got it done, so now I’m going through, editing and making sure they all go where they’re supposed to…also cleaning up the excess emphasis things-I know I went overboard in the 1st few stories – and all that kind of thing.)
> 
>  
> 
> _-Though in regards to the italics, I DO use them to indicate inner thoughts, so some scenes may seem to have a lot of them still-_
> 
>  
> 
> I’m also making sure the formatting is all the same and I have the headings for each part correct since I’ve settled on ones I really like. I am going through the entire series so it may take me a bit…but I will get there)

  

       

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**_ Flash Back: _ **

**_ Santa Barbra 2010 _ **

 

Simon rolled over, sleepily glancing at the clock; and promptly fell in a pile on the floor

 

 _It was twenty minutes till 8_! His alarm didn’t go off!

 

**_Oh man, he was SO late!_ **

 

 He threw on the first thing he found and scrambled out the door. Simon made the usual fifteen minute trip in less than ten, at a dead sprint, gasping for breath as he fumbled his way onto the far side of the grounds. He stopped, panting, resting his hands on his knees.

 

Man, _he was SO out of shape_ ; he needed to start working out, or exercising or _something…_

 

**_Just not running_ **

 

_Okay, take a second...breathe…_

 

God, he never wanted to run again, he felt like his legs were going to fall off! The bell rang, meaning he had five minutes to make it clear across the busy campus.

 

**_CRAP!_ **

 

And now he’s running _again_

 

 _This was torture; anyone who said running was enjoyable was either insane or a masochist_.

 

He couldn’t believe track was, like, a thing people did…Running should only be for survival or necessity.  He burst through the doors to the C building, still at a sprint,

 

  _Almost there!_

 

“Hey, watch it!” someone shouted as he just barely dodged around them, narrowly avoiding a collision,

 

 _“SORRY!”_ Simon shouted over his shoulder, as he fumbled, trying to keep hold of all his work and make it to the classroom before the last bell.

 

Barely two minutes now…

 

 He was almost to the hallway, two more turns and he’d be there

 

 _And **STILL**_ _with the running_

 

He felt like he was going to collapse. Hopefully he'd make it to his desk before that happened.

 

_He might just make it…_

 

 He careened around the corner, at top speed…

 

And slammed right into a _very_ large, _very_ arrogant, and now, **_very_** angry, football player…Who now had the entire can of soda he’d been drinking sprayed over his face.

 

_Oh, crap…_

 

 The guy turned slowly, dripping, and glaring. Simon’s eyes went wide. He put his hands up, shaking his head faintly,

 

 _“Oh, wow, dude I-I am so, **SO** sorry!_ I was just rushing cause I was late and overslept and have been running for, like, twenty minutes, and I never want to run again a-and I totally didn’t see you there and… _Umm_ … _bye_ ”

 

He turned around, survival instincts giving him a burst of energy and strength sprinting even faster back the way he came, dodging in and out of the crowds like a marathon runner.

 

_Screw class, he just wanted to make it through today alive!_

 

He rushed around a corner, darting quickly into a supply closet to hide and catch his breath. He collapsed against the door, sliding down and basically crumpling, into a pile on the floor of the closet.

_That’s it…he was done._

_He’d never be able to move again…_

 

 He set for thirty minutes, until his legs felt like they were functional again. Figuring it had been long enough, and he could actually stand once more, he reached for the door handle to finally head to class…

 

The door was locked…

 

 _Why would the doors lock from the **OUTSIDE**_ _?!_

 

 He didn’t make it to half his classes…

 

Luckily a teacher heard him and unlocked the supply closet,

 

 “Oh my god thanks so much! _I am SO glad I’m out!_ I Thought I’d be in the closet **_forever_**!”

 

 _Unluckily_ , his voice tends to carry and approximately half the school heard that…

 

“You just figured it out, we’ve known for _YEARS_!”

 

Ugh…

 

_One more year…_

 

Whoever said High School was the best years of your life was either an idiot, high, or delusional

 

Possibly all three

 

**_Almost certainly all three…_ **

 

Graduation could not come soon enough

 

He never wanted to set foot in a High School again…

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 “And then the whole thing kind of collapsed and we just wandered away like we had no clue” Max finished.

 

 Alec laughed, shaking his head slightly at his brother’s story. It had been a wonderful day so far.  Max had texted him earlier this morning, knowing Alec had the weekend off and wondering if he wanted to maybe go grab lunch or something. Alec figured he just really needed a bit of a breather from their parents; something he could more than understand.

 

He had went over and picked him up. Alec always enjoyed spending time with Max; plus he kind of worried about him, being over a decade younger than his siblings he was the only one still living with their parents. The stress that placed on his youngest brother concerned Alec.

 

He’d been rather surprised Max had called actually. More and more often he was hanging out at his friends, trying to be more independent. Alec truly enjoyed being able to sit around, catch up and really just visit with him; it was very reassuring.

 

Plus, Max is generally just enjoyable to be around. Alec thought out of his siblings he and Max were the most alike. They even looked quite a bit alike, although Max was nearly a foot shorter than his older brother, and his hazel eyes were closer to grey, while Alec’s leaned more towards to green.

 

Jace and Izzy were always super outgoing, loud, and showy…

 

Alec and Max…Weren’t.

 

He was a bit of a bookworm, and kind of quiet and shy, at first, anyways. He could, at times, be overly serious, but he had a fantastic sense of humor and a truly wonderful heart, once you got to know him.

 

 They’d went and caught an early movie and were now grabbing something to eat at the food court in the other half of the mall. They had just sat down, getting ready to dig into their food when a vaguely familiar voice called Max’s name. They both turned to see the new comer.

 

It was Max’s best friend Kasey and another guy about their age; they waved excitedly, making their way towards the table. It really wasn’t hard to pick them out; Kasey was a bit taller than Max with kind of unruly reddish brown hair, with just a bit of freckles over the bridge of his nose and rather mischievous dark green eyes, along with a seemingly permanent grin. The other boy was about an inch shorter than him, he had somewhat softer features, with light blond, curly hair that was just a bit longish and very dark brown eyes.

 

“Hey, guys!” Max greeted them with a bright smile before turning back to Alec.

 

“Alec you know Kasey, and this is Isaac, I’ve told you about him before. Isaac, this is my brother, Alec, he’s a detective”

 

The kid smiled brightly, giving a somewhat geeky wave that vaguely reminded Alec of Simon.

 

“Hi, sir, nice to meet you!” he said politely

 

Max rolled his eyes slightly,

 

“Dude, you don’t have to call him sir, he’s not **_that_** old…I mean, he’s not, like _young_ -” Max chimed in

 

 “Hey, watch it!” Alec snapped, mock glaring at him before turning back to the two boys who were trying not to laugh

 

“Though he is right, Alec is fine. Hi, Isaac, it’s nice to meet you, too. And Kasey, good to see you again; you’re staying out of trouble, right?”

 

Kasey gave an overly exaggeratedly innocent look

 

“Of course”

 

Alec chuckled, shaking his head slightly,

 

Kasey was a good kid, but a bit of a prankster and kind of mischievous. Alec actually liked Max having him around, though. He figured having someone a bit more carefree and outgoing was good for the kid, would help him lighten up a bit and relax.

 

 “So, what are you guys up to?” Max asked them curiously,

 

Isaac shrugged, giving a slight smile, “Oh, nothing really, just kind of bored, figured we’d come here and hang out for a while.”

 

“Well, do you guys want to join us? _Umm_ , I mean, if it’s okay with you, Alec?” Max hastily added looking at him sheepishly

 

Alec nodded, gesturing towards the empty seats,

 

“Yeah, of course…It’s fine, join us” he said,

 

Max got up, moving to the other side of the booth next to Alec, letting the two newcomers have the other side.

 

“Oh…umm…You don’t have to do that, it’s fine” Isaac told him kind of shyly,

 

“It’s no problem” Max smiled shaking his head

 

They both gave him a grateful smile, slipping into the spot. The move rather caught Alec off guard; Max caught his expression and gave a faint shrug,

 

“What? I figured since they’re dating they’d want to sit together”

 

 “Ah,” Alec said, nodded

 

Isaac looked a bit self-conscious, glancing down bashfully. Kasey reached over, taking his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, giving him a warm smile.

 

Max shook his head, giving him a reassuring smile,

 

“Dude, _It’s fine_ , Alec’s cool with it…I mean, he kinda has to be really since he’s gay too.”

 Alec was actually surprised at how casually he said it. _Yeah_ , Max knew he was out (and Izzy and Jace as well for that matter) but it wasn’t really something they talked about a lot at the house, for obvious reasons.

 

Alec knew that Max didn’t have a problem with it (perhaps was even relieved he’d have someone he could talk to about that kind of thing, should he ever need to) but he really hadn’t expected that kind of flippant, casual attitude towards the subject. It was actually a bit of a relief to him; knowing that his brother was far more comfortable with it then he’d been at that age.

 

_Man, when he was at fifteen? If someone even so much as mentioned anything close to the topic he’d get flustered and change the subject as fast as he possibly could…_

 

It was good to know Max was doing better than he had in High School. Isaac and Kasey both looked much more relieved; they relaxed, Kasey casually slipping his arm around Isaac’s shoulder.

 

Max turned to Alec giving a half apologetic, half annoyed look

 

“Sorry about that, a few weeks ago Isaac came over to the house to work on a project and he met Mom and Dad….it didn’t go too well. I told him the rest of my family aren’t like that, they’re the only ones all weird and touchy about that kinda thing.” He rolled his eyes

 

Alec laughed, surprised, raising his eyebrow

 

  “So, you’re okay with it, too? I mean, your two best friends dating?”

 

The other two snickered slightly

 

“What?” He asked, confused

 

Max rolled his eyes

 

“Uh…yeah? I **_should_** be okay with it; took me almost a year to get those two idiots together!”

 

“We weren’t that bad” Kasey argued

 

 _“Oh yes you were! Both of you!”_ Max insisted animatedly, shaking his head in exasperation at them before turning back to Alec,

 

“I had to listen to both of them yammer on about how much you liked the other, then how **_hopeless_** they’re crushes were, and they were _both saying the SAME thing_! And I couldn’t tell either of them, cause they _**both**_ swore me to secrecy!”

 

Alec laughed, shaking his head

 

“So how did you get them together?”

 

Max grinned

 

“I put a note in each of their lockers, pretending to be the other one, asking them on a date, they didn’t even realize it till they were almost ready to go home.”

 

 He chuckled

 

“Max, that was kind of sneaky”

 

“Yup, I taught him well” Kasey said with a bright grin

 

“Alec, I had to do something _, they were driving me nuts_! Plan b was to lock them in a closet till they talked.”

 

“Oh, you wouldn’t do that” Alec said with a laugh

 

Max nodded quickly,

 

 “ _ **Yeah**_ , _I would_ , you guys were so whiny I couldn’t take it”

 

Isaac seemed to startle a bit, then get excited

 

“ _Oh, hey!_ I forgot to tell you guys, the other day in gym, Ericka, Jen and Kellie…”

 

 Alec tuned out a bit,

 

It was really nice seeing Max out, relaxing with his friends, enjoying himself; but he really couldn’t keep up with the random social dramas of Sun Crest High School.

 

It was good seeing him so happy though, and knowing that he had friends that he cared so much about…

 

“-ave a boyfriend?”

 

He glanced up, realizing the teens where looking at him, waiting for an answer

 

“Uh…sorry, what was the question?” Alec asked

 

 Max rolled his eyes slightly at his brother

 

“They were asking if you had a boyfriend” Max clarified before turning back to his friends

 

“He hasn’t actually _told_ me, but I think he does, his name’s Magnus…”

 

Alec’s eyes grow wide, he shakes his head

 

“ _What!?_ N-no, I’m not dating Magnus! Why would you think that?”

 

Max tilts his head slightly

 

“Well, Izzy and Jace say he flirts with you, like, all the time, and even Izzy thinks he’s good looking, and she doesn’t even go for guys, so he must be REALLY hot, and Jace said the guy won’t even give him the time of day and was all defensive of you, and really complimentary when he asked him what he thought about you…

 

Plus you talk about him kind of a lot”

 

 _“I-I do not!”_  Alec sputtered,

 

Max raised his eyebrow,

 

 “ **Alec** , you mentioned him over ten times today…”

 

“I did?”

 

Max nodded a bit, rolling his eyes slightly ( _okay, that needed to stop, he got it, he was a teenager_ )

 

“Oh, umm… Well, we’re definitely not dating; he’s just a friend, who I work with.”

 

 “Uh huh…” Max says, totally unconvinced

 

“Riiight” Kasey says sarcastically

 

 “So, Alec, what does Magnus do? Is he a detective, too?” Isaac asks politely

 

_Alec decides he likes this kid_

 

 He shakes his head

 

“Yeah, well, no not _exactly_ …He actually works as a consultant with the SBPD; he has an agency in town.”

 

“ _Really?_ What kind of consultant is he?”

 

Alec faltered a bit,

 

“Uh…H-He’s a psychic”

****

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> Okay, so I know I said I was going to focus on Magnus/Alec but there is a REASON that I had the flashback with Simon…
> 
> You’ll have to keep reading to find out, why though…
> 
> This one should be a lot of fun.
> 
> FYI There might be quite a few random OC’s, and maybe one from a previous story as well…
> 
> ** Name game  **
> 
> Max’s Friends (First and Last names)
> 
> Kasey: Alert, Watchful
> 
> Alden: Old Friends
> 
> Isaac: One Who Brings Laughter
> 
> Kelly: Intelligent and Bright
> 
> Last thing, just wanted to let you guys know on Facebook I have a new group to talk about slash, fanfic and share our favorite stories here is a [link](https://m.facebook.com/groups/948459861976219?ref=bookmarks) if anyone's interested  
> 


	2. A Psychic, A Cute Dorky Detective, And a Scary Flirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and his friends meet Magnus,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> ( _FYI I did add a bit to the last chapter, it was bugging me that I didn’t have descriptions of Max or his friends so I added a bit of some…Also, I’m gonna say right now, if any part of Max is actually in character, that is totally coincidental; honestly, I didn’t read the books and the little I saw of him on the show he came off as rather annoying; I figure he’s already going to be OOC since, he’s a teenager and, you know, alive…so, may as well just run with it_ )

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

 “No way…” Kasey says shaking his head slightly

 

Alec shrugged faintly,

 

“Well, yeah…I mean, I don’t actually know _how_ he does it, I don’t like calling it ‘psychic powers’ or abilities or whatever, but it works.”

 

“ _Really!? That’s so cool_!” Isaac exclaims

 

“Yeah, it is, **Alec** why didn’t you tell me you knew _a_ **psychic**? You were talking about him all day, _how did THAT not come up_ _?”_ Max asked in surprise

 

 Alec shrugged slightly

 

“I-I don’t know; I _work_ with him, we don’t really just hang out too often. Plus, it’s not some parlor trick or stunt, it is an **investigative** _technique_ ; he uses it to solve crimes, help us catch criminals…It’s not just some game. I’m pretty sure he’s solved more cases than anyone at our precinct; he just did it by calling in anonymous tips for years…

 

 _And I wasn’t talking about him_ **‘all day’** …I just mentioned him a few times” Alec said, somewhat defensively

 

 “So, what does he do? Does he, like, talk to ghosts or something?” Kasey asked curiously, leaning forward eagrly

 

Alec shook his head

 

“No, nothing like tha…w- _well_ … okay, actually, the first case we worked he kind of talked to a cat and got a tip from it…at least that’s what he _said_ , but I think he was just messing with me. While I really don’t know **how** he got the information, I _refuse_ to believe ‘ _Miss CleoCatra’_ gave it to him.” Alec said steadfastly

 

Max laughed “The cat was named _‘Miss CleoCatra”,_ **really?** Who would come up with such a crazy name?”

 

 Alec smiled, rolling his eyes affectionately  

 

“ **Magnus** …though Simon helped with that one…His other cat’s named ‘Chairman Meow’, that was all him. Raphael maintains he had nothing to do with either of the names, says he wasn’t even home when the names were chosen” Alec laughed, shaking his head at all three of them, before realizing he’s getting off topic,

 

  “ _Umm_ , but, No, not anything like that. Magnus seems to pick up every last clue or detail on a case; things that the rest of us just don’t get, much less put together. He can always find the truth.

 

 On the first case we worked? The one with the cat? He came up with the name of a suspect, it wasn’t anywhere in the files…I really don’t know how he does it, but it's very effective. I’ve yet to see him miss anything, it seems like having him on a case is a guaranteed closure. He, _I mean_ , _It’s_ pretty amazing.”

 

Max nods a bit, consideringly,

 

“Yeah, sounds like it”

 

Isaac tilts his head

 

“Wait, who are they? Simon and Raphael? Is one of _them_ dating Magnus? _I-If you don’t mind me asking of course_?” he hastily added

 

Alec shook his head giving a dismissive wave,

 

“Oh, it’s fine, and no; neither of them are dating Magnus. They’re actually a couple. Simon's my partner down at the precinct, he’s a junior detective. He got promoted a few months ago.

 

Really sweet guy, kind of a lot to deal with, but incredibly sweet. _WAY_ too much energy and perkiness sometimes, and a bit uncoordinated, plus he tends to talk, _an insane amount_ **,** about anything and everything. Nevertheless, he’s actually becoming a great detective.

 

In fact two months ago he got caught up as a hostage in a bank robbery and managed to not only keep calm, but keep all the rest of the hostages safe and calm, get them all out safely, and save himself as well as a kidnapped young woman; it also led to one of the biggest busts in Santa Barbra history.

 

  Raphael is his boyfriend, and Magnus’s best friend. He’s… _uh_ …well, I don’t really know, something else…

 

I’m actually not sure **what** to make of the guy. Simon adores him, I’ve never met two people who fit together more perfectly, and he is ridiculously sappy when he’s with Simon…He and Magnus have been best friends for nearly twenty years and bicker like an old married couple, they actually live together too.

 

He works part time at Magnus’s agency, and also as a pharmaceutical rep. He’s actually pretty funny, in a sarcastic, sometimes dark, kinda way.  But the guy is also probably one of the most intimidating people I’ve ever met and has a real knack for flirting and manipulation the likes of which I‘ve never seen.

 

There are usually a few times a week that I am just glad that 1. The guy is _on my side_ _,_ and 2. That _I am on his good side_ , because I really don’t think I’d ever want to be on his bad side…Despite that, I really do think he’s a good guy...and a friend…

 

 _Mostly,_ anyways” he shrugs

 

 Alec glances up at the three teenagers

 

They are staring at him wide eyed, looking totally dazzled

 

“What?” Alec asked, confused

 

 “ _Dude_! Why are we sitting around a mall being bored? You’re friends with a crime solving psychic, a cute, dorky hero detective, and a scarily intimidating flirt!

 

 Jace introduces me to people from work a lot, but they’re all annoying, obnoxious actors, and Izzy would, but she pretty much just works with dead people…

 

Can we go meet them? _Please_?” Max asked eagerly

 

 Alec laughs slightly, surprised

 

“I-I well, I don’t know what they’re doing today…I mean, I know Simon has the day off, so in all likelihood Raphael has it off too, as I kind of get the feeling he pretty much makes his own schedule, so they may be on a date or something. I really don’t know about Magnus…”

 

They look truly disappointed

 

“I guess I could just text and see if any of them aren’t too busy and want to meet up for a bit” he relented

 

He sighs, reaching in his pocket, pulling out his phone:

 

  **ALEC: Hey Magnus, are you busy today? I was talking to my brother Max and some of his friends and they really wanted to meet you. If you’re too busy it’s okay**

 

 He looks back up at the teens, shrugging slightly

 

“I tried Magnus first; figure if he’s free he’d know where Simon and Raphael are. I’ll give it a sec before I try the others; if they’re on a date or something I’d really hate to bug them, it might be a bit though, he does tend to be p-”

 

His phone chimes signaling a new text

 

**MAGNUS: My darling detective, I’m never too busy for you ;-) heading home now, be there in about 20, I would love to meet them, see you soon, sweetheart**

 

He just kind of stares at the phone for a moment…

 

 _He’s not flirting, he’s just being Magnus; he’s just an overly friendly, affectionate person… he does not_ _mean it like that_

 

Alec found himself saying this more and more often. The sound of snickering gets his attention; he glances up at the three teenagers, confused.

 

“What? He texted back, said it’d be fine and to meet at his place”

 

Max raised his eyebrow

 

The other two snickered again

 

“ _Uh huh_ _…_ what **else** did he say?”

 

“Nothing, why?”

 

 The other two laughed louder

 

“Alec, you’re blushing, like, _a lot,_ there’s no way he just said that.”

 

“He did, that’s it, _and I’m not blushing_ , it’s just warm in here, that’s all” He tried defensively

 

Max gave him a sarcastic, look

 

“Okay then, if that’s all he said, let me see your phone” he challenged

 

 Alec blushed brighter

 

The three teenagers were full on laughing now. Alec shook his head quickly, glancing away,

 

“I-I, it’s not like that, that really is all that he said, but it’s **Magnus** and out of context it might not sound like that…if you knew him you’d understand… _Hey!_ ”

 

Alec snapped as Max quickly grabbed the phone and darted out of the booth, moving over behind his friends before checking the text.

 

His eyebrows went up.

 

“You guys are **SO** dating”

 

“ _We are not!_ He’s not interested in me that way”

 

“ _Meaning YOU are_ ” Max interjected

 

 He held the phone down so the other two could read it

 

“Uh…Alec, no offense, but, **dude** , if you think he’s not interested, then you’re not paying attention” Kasey said,

 

Isaac nodded slightly, giving a bit of an apologetic shrug

 

 “No. It’s just…Look, that’s what I was saying; that’s just how Magnus _is_ , he always sounds flirty and is really friendly and affectionate in general, especially with his friends, but that’s all we are.”

 

“He called you –”

 

“ **Yeah** , I know; but he uses terms of endearment, like darling and Sweetheart all the time, with anyone he is even remotely close to. It’s just how he is”

 

Kasey shook his head, rolling his eyes

 

“I don’t thi-”

 

“ _Well_ , he sounds like a really interesting person, I can’t wait to meet him” Isaac cut Kasey off, giving him an annoyed look, before turning back to Alec and smiling

 

_Yeah, Alec definitely liked this kid_

 

 Max nodded mischievously,

 

“Yeah, I think so too. Come on, let’s go meet you’re ‘not boyfriend.’”

 

Alec groaned

 

_Oh, this was not going to end well…_

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

They arrived at the apartment about fifteen minutes later, the teens staring at the huge, spectacular, building in awe.

 

“Whoa, dude, _this place is_ **insane** _!_   _How much does being a psychic detective pay!?”_ Kasey exclaims

 

Alec laughs, shaking his head as they walk through the large, elaborate doors.

 

“Not this much; Magnus actually owns club Pandemonium.  Also, I think Raphael makes good money with his pharmaceutical rep job, I’ve a feeling he is extremely well suited for sales” he explains with a slight chuckle

 

 The three teens chatter excitedly amongst themselves as they clambered into the elevator. Alec loved getting to see Max so excited. He’s especially looking forward to their reactions to the actual apartment. Casually, he hits the button for the top floor.

 

 “Magnus said it’d take him about twenty minutes to get home, so we’ll have to wait in the alcove a bit.”

 

“What alcove?” Isaac asks, confused

 

As if timed the doors ding and open into the space. The teens wander out cautiously, looking around, taking in everything. Alec nonchalantly walks over by the door,

 

“Why is there only one door?”

 

 “Oh, they have the entire top floor” he says offhandedly

 

They stare at him with almost identical shocked expressions, making Alec snicker

 

“What?”

 

“How do you have such cool friends? Since when are you this interesting? _When did that happen?!”_

 

Alec laughed, shrugging slightly

 

 “ _Well_ , He is a brave, intelligent, _gorgeous_ , detective; how could he _not_ be absolutely fascinating?” a smooth, ridiculously appealing voice said from behind them

 

Alec shakes his head slightly at the compliments, but smiles nonetheless.

 

“Hey, Magnus”

 

The three teens whirled around, then kind of freeze

 

  _“Wow”_ Kasey blurts, then promptly blushes

 

Max and Isaac looked dumbstruck

 

_Alec could emphasize_

 

 “Hello, Alexander, what a wonderful surprise” he says, smiling warmly, before turning to the teens,

 

 “Hi, I’m Magnus; it's lovely to meet all of you, especially you, Max”

 

He turns to Max, giving a brilliant smile,

 

“Your brother speaks so very highly of you; it is wonderful to finally meet you, dear.”

 

“Uh…I-I, umm, y-you too…” He stammers, blushing brightly

 

Magnus smiles even brighter, absolutely charmed

 

“ _Aww…that is SO cute!_ You are just as adorable as your brother!”

 

He turns to Alec, who rolls his eyes, but is blushing slightly as well, grabbing his arm, excitedly. He is positively beaming…

 

“ _Alexander,_ how did you _not_ tell me he was a shorter, younger, version of you? He’s absolutely _precious_!”

 

 Alec chuckled slightly, shrugging

 

“It never came up”

 

Magnus seems to startle faintly, turning to the others

 

 “Oh, sorry, _hi_ , it's lovely to meet you two as well; I do apologize, I have a tendency to get rather carried away.”

 

He glances over the two of them quickly,

 

“So, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe you are Kasey, yes?”

 

He nods, looking stunned

 

Magnus turns to the last teen, tilting his head slightly

 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I’m afraid I don’t know your name…you just met Alexander today, I do not have as much to draw from” He said apologetically   

 

“T-that’s okay sir, I’m Isaac, it’s really nice to meet you” he said, shyly,

 

 Magnus smiled warmly, “Well, aren’t you _delightful_ , but darling, there is no need to be so formal. Please, call me Magnus.”

 

“K-kay, Magnus” he said, blushing vibrantly

 

 “Well, this is lovely, but why don’t we move into the apartment, it’ll be far more comfortable?” Magnus offers, slipping past the group to the door.

 

He unlocks the door, swinging it open, gesturing for the others to come in. The teens walk in slowly looking around, amazed.

 

“Oh, _dude_ , this is the coolest place I’ve ever seen!” Kasey said excitedly

 

 _“Whoa!”_ Max gasped

 

Isaac nodded, turning around slowly, taking in everything

 

“Now, isn’t this better than the hallway?” Magnus asked

 

They all nod in agreement

 

Magnus gave a bit of a clever smirk, raising his eyebrow slightly

 

“ _Besides_ , I figure it would be far more comfortable to sit down as we discuss the topic that you have yet to bring up to Alexander…the main reason you three so wanted to meet me.”

 

 “Wait, what?” Alec asked, surprised

 

He glances between his brother and his friends. The teens looked a mix of shocked and guilty. Magnus placed his hand lightly on Alec’s arm reassuringly, giving him a warm smile.

 

“My darling detective, it is nothing bad, at least I don't believe so.  Though they are concerned about something…I do believe they were going to ask you for assistance, but something you said made them think that my help may be warranted as well. Let’s sit down and discuss it.”

 

 They move into the living room, the teens fidgeting slightly. Once they’re all settled Alec turns to Max, giving his brother a rather concerned look.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you in some kind of trouble? Any of you?”

 

 Max quickly shook his head

 

“ _No_ , no, nothing like that…I-it’s one of our teachers; he was in a car accident yesterday.”

 

Both Magnus and Alec look at them concerned

 

“D-did he-?”Alec trailed off slightly, vaguely remembering Kasey asking if Magnus talked to ghosts…

 

 _He_ **really** _hoped it wasn’t anything like that_

 

Isaac shook his head slightly

 

 “No, he’s okay…well, _he will be_ at least. He’ll be in the hospital for at least a week or two recovering though.”

 

Alec sighed a bit relieved, but then tilted his head in confusion,

 

“Then, what-”

 

“You do not believe it was an accident, do you?” Magnus asks gently

 

Max nodded,

 

“What makes you think it wasn’t?” Alec inquired

 

 The three glance between each other. Max starts slowly,

 

“Well…it’s just, there’s a lot of weird things that have been happening…”

 

 Then it’s like a floodgate opens, they are all talking at once, quickly jumping in, talking over one another.

 

“Yeah, like, I know a few weeks ago someone stole his briefcase that he keeps all the class work in”

 

“And his chair broke, and he fell, nearly broke his arm”

 

“ _Oh!_ Also, he’s laptop broke, too; he went to pick it up and the strap on his case snapped and it just smashed”

 

“Plus, I know a lot of his stuff got lost at the drycleaners, he was complaining about it for weeks”

 

“ _And, and_ someone put shellfish oil in his lunch, and he’s really allergic, he had to use an epi pen and go to the hospital then too…”

 

“And there’s lots of other things, too…Most of them seem small enough and could just be accidents or even pranks or something like that, but all of it together? It just seems awfully coincidental, you know?” Max finished, looking at them, somewhat pleadingly…before turning facing his brother

 

 “We _were_ going to ask you to help, and try to explain in a way that _didn’t_ sound like just us being overly dramatic teenagers, _because we do know that’s exactly how it sounds_ _._

 

We figured you’d at least hear us out since you’re my brother…but then, the way you talked about Magnus…You said that he could pick up on everything, that he could find every detail; always find the truth. You seem to really believe in him, that if there is something to figure out, he will.” He paused shaking his head, taking a deep breath before looking back up at his brother,

 

“Alec, _I_ **know**  it sounds kind of crazy, and I guess it could all just be a coincidence, but…I-I really don’t think so. I mean, _yeah_ , a lot of the things could of just been pranks or something like that, even the allergy thing, I guess, if they didn’t realize just how sever it was; or were just really horrible people. But this last thing, the car accident?

 

 He could have died, or someone else could have. We’ve been talking about it for quite a while; it’s been going on for months. We’ve been trying to figure out what was happening, figuring it was just something like that, someone messing with him…But yesterday?

 

That was really scary, that is way more than we could deal with on our own.” he shrugged slightly

 

 “You’re right, that is way too many coincidences” Alec agrees, nodding

 

Magnus tilts his head consideringly “Absolutely; that is far too much to be chance. Some could be pranks, it is a _high school_ after all…I would gather pranking the faculty would be rather standard…But a lot of it sounds like more than mere jokes…regardless of how unpleasant someone’s sense of humor is.

 

The allergen and the chair could have been pranks, I suppose, but the stolen papers and seemingly purposely broken laptop would suggest more. His clothes disappearing from the drycleaners, once again it could be coincidental, but if not, it means that someone is targeting him outside school, meaning that it could be more personal than a prankster or angry student regarding a grade or the like.

 

I do believe you boys may be onto something.”

 

  “ _Really_!? You guys believe us?” Kasey asks astonished

 

Magnus and Alec both nodded. The teens looked relieved. Max turned to Alec,

 

“So, Alec, Magnus, will you guys help find out what’s going on, please?” Max asked hopefully

 

_Really what could they say to that?_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________ **
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> So…What do you guys think so far?
> 
> I thought it’d be kinda cute for Max to get flustered slightly when meeting Magnus at first…and it’s Magnus, I think that’d almost be a standard reaction


	3. Learn Something New Every Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus, Alec, Max and his friends go to see their teacher to find out about the case
> 
>  

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

 “Excuse me, Miss? Can you tell us which room Anthony Ventura's is in, and if he is well enough to receive visitors?” Magnus asks the nurse at the visitor’s station.

 

She glances up at them, her gaze lingering appreciatively on Alec, raising her eyebrow slightly when she settles back on Magnus.

 

He supposes that’s somewhat warranted; they’re a rather odd looking group. He’s wearing a somewhat brilliant blue patterned silk shirt, tight black jeans, and his usual assortment of jewelry, and very obvious makeup, complete with shimmery, light blue lipstick.

 

 Add in serous looking Alec in his unflattering suit, and three random looking teenagers, and, _yeah_ ….He’s actually surprised they didn’t get more looks.

 

He supposes he can’t really blame the woman for the slightly judgey look

 

_Or **obviously** checking Alec out_

 

Can’t fault someone for having excellent taste after all…It doesn’t stop him from moving just a bit closer to Alec, slipping his arm casually around Alec’s shoulders, and leaning against him slightly.

 

 “And you are…?” She asks, somewhat condescendingly

 

He gives a bright smile

 

“Oh, well, I’m a psychic, he’s a detective, and these are some of Mr. Ventura’s students. We’re investigating the possibility that the accident that landed him in here was in actuality an attempt on his life.”

 

The teens are trying not to laugh. Alec just shakes his head, rubbing his temple.

_He doesn’t pull away, though_

 

 Her eyebrows nearly reach her hairline; she glances at Alec. He just gives a bit of a hopeless shrug.

 

She focuses back on Magnus

 

“Uh huh…I _think_ you may be a bit confused, the psychiatric hospital is actually located a few blocks down…”

 

She turns, glancing between Alec and the teens

 

“Did they send him over for some tests or something?” she asks sympathetically

 

Max, Isaac and Casey burst out laughing.

 

 Alec tries to hide a chuckle at Magnus’s affronted look, shaking his head slightly before giving her a pleasant smile, holding up his badge.

 

“Actually ma’am, crazy as it sounds, he’s telling the truth. I’m head detective Lightwood of the SBPD, this is Magnus Bane, he’s a consultant for our department. A few of Mr.Ventura’s students had some concerns; we wanted to ask him a couple questions regarding the accident.”

 

She looks shocked, then blushes slightly,

 

“Oh…S-Sorry detective, of course, let me look it up, it’ll be just a moment” she gave him a flirty smile then turns her attention to the computer

 

“Thank you” He said politely, before turning to Magnus with a vaguely considering look and just the slightest bit of a smirk

 

  _Uh oh_ …

 

_That’s his playful, teasing, expression;_

 

Magnus doesn’t get to see that one too often…Which is a real shame, but probably for the best.

 

_It cannot possibly be healthy for someone’s heart to go this fast…_

 

 “What?” Magnus asks, curiously

 

“Maybe those tests aren’t such a bad idea. I think I’ve suggested that to you myself a few times…”

 

Magnus tries to keep from smiling, giving him a slightly challenging look, raising his eyebrow,

 

 “Oh? And what, pray tell, makes you think I need them?”

_He couldn’t resist; he didn’t get to see this playful side of the detective nearly enough…_

 Alec gave a sharp, quick laugh, eyes widening disbelievingly.

 

 “ _Hmm_ …I don’t know? Maybe the time you broke into a bank, during an _ACTIVE_ hostage situation to rescue a detective, armed with nothing but an eyeliner and lip gloss?”

 

Magnus huffed faintly, pointing animatedly,

 

“Hey! That totally worked! He had no clue I was working with the department, just thought I was some crazy, kind of campy club owner who was worried about his boyfriend!”

 

Alec smirked, nodding quickly,

 

“Yeah, exactly; even Wallace thought you were insane too, _he literally said as much_!”

 

Magnus gave a dismissive wave,

 

“Oh, Wallace was a psychopath; you can’t go by his judgment.”

 

 “Okay, how about you and Raphael teaching Simon to lie in order to make me think I solved a case completely on my own?”

 

“That was Raphael’s plan; I just went along with it…And, once again, _it **worked**_ ”

 

 “How about how you got the information on the Orson Case?”

 

“Hey! That information was totally accurate, just because the source was a little odd…”

 

_“You got it from a **cat**!”_

 

“Well…yes, but it was accurate.”

 

“You, supposedly, thought you **_were_** a cat.”

 

“Okay, but it-”

 

  _“Raphael had to spray you with a water bottle!”_

 

“I still think that was an overreaction”

 

“You were **_purring_** …And practically **_climbing_** _on me_ ”

 

Magnus smirked, raising his eyebrow challengingly

 

 “You didn’t mind”

 

“That’s beside the poi-, **_I_** **_mean_** …umm…” he trailed off, blushing brightly

 

Magnus chuckles, patting his chest lightly, giving him a teasingly mischivious smirk,

 

“Well I still think-”

 

_“Ahem”_

 

 Someone clearing their throat startles them, making them glance over…

_Oh…Oops_

 

“Mr. Ventura is in room 404, elevators just down the hall” the nurse says in a rather clipped tone, before turning back to her computer, completely dismissing them.

 

“Thanks, sweetie” Magnus says cheerfully

 

“Uh huh…” she says irritatedly

 

 They all turn, heading towards the elevators. Climbing in Alec realizes the teens are oddly quiet, he glances over. They’re staring at Magnus with almost identical expressions of complete amazement.

_Once again…Alec can relate_

 

 

“ _Umm_ , what’s wrong, guys?” he asks

 

 “D-did you really do all that?” Max asks in wonderment

 

Magnus shrugs slightly,

 

“Well… _yes_ , but it sounds rather different out of context” he ventures

 

“Yeah, it actually sounds **_less_** crazy” Alec mutters

 

 Magnus gives him a slight glare,

 

“ _What?_ It does”

 

Max shakes his head faintly

 

“ ** _Wow_** …I thought Alec was exaggerating about how amazing you were.”

 

Magnus grins, turning to Alec

 

“I _was_ rather curious what you said that got them so set on me helping. And here I thought you _‘just complained’_ about me?” he teased, with a playfully bright grin,

 

Alec rolled his eyes exaggeratedly

 

“Oh, believe me I still do that…sometimes it just comes out sounding like compliments.”

 

Magnus chuckles warmly

 

 “So…You really think you can find out what’s happening?” Isaac asks, hopefully

 

“Yes, darling, I am sure we will” Magnus reassures the teens

 

 The elevator dings, opening onto the fourth floor

 

 “So, she said he’s in room 404, right?” Max asked, glancing back at Alec and Magnus as they exited the elevator.

 

“Yes, that’s right, should be just down the hall” Alec confirmed

 

“Thanks again for helping guys” Isaac says gratefully

 

Kasey nods in agreement

 

“Of course, darling’s; I suppose it is possible that all this is some big mix of coincidences and pranks, the accident being exactly that, but if it is not, then it really should be dealt with by professionals.”

 

 They get nearly to the door and Kasey freezes

 

 _“Oh, man!”_ he gasps, seemingly startled

 

“What?” Max asks, confused

 

He shakes his head, glancing at the other two,

 

“Dude, I totally forgot; this is **_Mr. Ventura_** …He’s a science teacher, he thinks all paranormal phenomena and such is either a scam or total hokum, _his_ words. He’s never gonna take advice from a psychic…” he looks apologetically at Magnus.

 

He smiles, shaking his head slightly

 

“ _Sweetheart_ ; I work in a police department full of hardnosed law enforcement officers and help track down criminals. It will hardly be the first time I dealt with someone who didn’t believe in psychics...It will be fine.”

 

 They reach room 404, glancing in they could see a man sitting in the hospital bed.

 

He looked to be in his late thirties, with short, black hair and dark eyes behind black framed glasses. He was sitting up, reading through a stack of papers spread out on a food tray, marking them, absently tapping his pen against the edge of the tray.

 

He looked to be in fairly good heath, though there was a rather dark bruise on his forehead and what looked to be powder burns on his cheek, most likely from the deployment of the airbag, also his left leg was currently elevated in a cast.

 

He glanced up as they entered the room surprised, Looking from his students to the two unknown men.

 

 “Hello, Max, Isaac, Kasey, what are you guys doing here? It’s nice of you boys to visit, but you really didn’t need to…I’m fine, I appreciate the thought though…” he says with a smile.

 

He glances up at Alec and Magnus, smiling wider

 

“And who’s this?”

 

“Mr. Ventura, this is my brother Alec, he’s a detective, and Magnus is a consultant with this precinct…We asked them to come talk to you” Max explains

 

He tilts his head curiously

 

“Why? Has something happened?” he asked

 

 Kasey rolled his eyes

 

“ _Yeah_ , something happened; you were in a car crash, and all that other stuff that’s been happening, we think there’s something going on.”

 

Isaac nods “Right, and we were really worried…We have been trying to figure it out for a while, cause it seems like every time you turn around something else is going wrong for you and it just seems like way too much, we wanted to help.”

 

He looks shocked

 

“What? Guys I’m sure it’s nothing, just a string of mishaps, that’s all.”

 

 “Actually, Mr. Ventura, from what the boys have told us, it does seem like more than just a bit of bad luck.” Magnus interjects

 

Alec nods faintly in agreement

 

“I have to agree with them…It does seem like an awful lot of coincidences.”

 

He looks between Magnus and Alec

 

"I don’t mean to be ungrateful but I don’t really think it’s necessary, detective.”

 

He turns slightly towards Magnus giving a rather charming smile

 

 “By the way what kind of consultant are you Magnus? I didn’t catch it.”

 

“He’s a psychic” Alec blurts

 

The teens groan, Max shakes his head, giving his brother a look that says **_‘seriously?’_**

 

Magnus smirks a bit, surprised.

 

_Was he jealous?_

 

 Ventura gives a surprised laugh.

 

“Very funny, detective. Really, what kind of consultant are you?”

 

Magnus shoots one more look at Alec before pulling his focus away, giving the man a slight shrug,

 

“Actually, he’s telling the truth, I am a psychic…I consult with the SBPD as well as take cases brought to me by clients through my agency, _Enigmatic Investigations.”_

He gives Magnus an amused look, shaking his head

 

“Umm…no offense, I’m sure you’re very convincing, and exceptionally charismatic and all that, but I don’t buy into that, _regardless_ of who is telling me it. I'm actually surprised a police department would…”

 

 Magnus gave another slight shrug and a charming smile

 

“I understand, it is quite hard for many to believe.”

 

Alec stepped forward slightly

 

“Actually Mr. Ventura, I never really believed in any of that myself…if I’m totally honest, I _still_ don’t. But I have been working with Magnus for months and whatever it is he does, it works.

 

 Without his help a lot of cases wouldn’t have been solved. He’s stopped criminals, found murderer’s, he actually helped save my partners life…

 

I may not believe in ‘ _Psychic’ whatever,_ but I **_do_** believe in him.”

 

 

 He glances up at Magnus, and kind of forgets how to breathe,

****

_Oh **Wow**_ _…whatever he just said he needs to write it down, because he really needs to say it more often, or, like, constantly…_

 

Magnus is blushing faintly, and has a soft, incredibly warm smile, along with a look of total amazement,

 

 Ventura raises his eyebrow slightly, putting his hands up in a placating gesture,

 

“Sorry, no harm meant. I didn’t realize it was like that…no offense to you, either detective; but there’s no way you could be impartial about your boyfriend’s abilities…”

 

That seems to snap Alec out of his Magnus induced stupor, he shakes his head slightly, rubbing awkwardly at his neck, blushing faintly,

 

 “Uh…H-he’s not my boyfriend, we just work together”

 

Ventura raised his eyebrow, a slight twitch of a smile to his lips,

 

“Sure…whatever you say”

 

 He sets up slightly,

 

“Look, detective, I really do appreciate the boys’ concern, but this seems like quite a stretch. Nearly everything that happened could have easily been an accident or a prank. I do work at a high school after all, and I have a bit of a reputation as one of the harshest teachers in school…

 

My class is college prep and I run it accordingly; I tell them constantly the first few weeks, nevertheless, every year I get a few who think they can slack off half the year then still pass, and that is simply not possible. I don’t give breaks on grades and I don’t give make up assignments…regardless of how much students _or_ their parents complain. It would not be fair to all the other students who have _actually_ did all the work if someone else can just throw a temper tantrum and get special treatment.

 

There are a lot of students, and parents, who take issue with that…I think the car accident was exactly that, an accident, but the rest? A lot of it could have, at most, been a student trying to get even. I doubt any of it amounts to more than that. I really think the boys are just over thinking this.”

 

 Magnus looks him over, tilting his head slightly

 

“So… you really think it’s all just harmless pranks and coincidence?”

 

Ventura shrugs giving a faint nod,

 

 “Yes, I think so”

 

“Even the threats?”

 

Alec raised his eyebrow somewhat

 

 _“Threats!?”_ Kasey exclaims

 

The other two teenagers look completely shocked

 

 Almost as shocked as Ventura

 

“W-what do you mean?”

 

Magnus smiles slightly, drifting closer, confident and calculating

 

“Well… you have been receiving threats, for quite a while, have you not?”

 

He shakes his head, faintly

 

“I-I, well, _yes_ , I have…”

 

 “And you didn’t think to mention this?” Alec asked, surprised

 

He shook his head slightly,

 

“No, I didn’t think it was serous” Ventura said, though now he seems rather unsure

 

  _“How is that not serous!?”_ Max demands, flabbergasted

 

He gives an unsure shrug,

 

“I thought it was just another prank or the like, I didn’t think it was actually genuine.”

 

 “Mr. Ventura, what happen in the accident?” Magnus asked

 

“It was just a fluke, the break’s went out. But I’ve been meaning to get them changed for months, I just haven’t had the time; it wasn’t an attack, just an accident.”

 

“You are certain?”

 

He nods, but seems rather doubtful

 

“Y-yeah, I think it was just an accident…I mean, it would _have_ to be. I may have people who don’t like me, but I don’t think I’d have anyone who would actually want me dead. It-it couldn’t be that, right?”

 

 Alec tries to give him a reassuring look

 

“It may just be nothing, but we would like to check it out, just to be sure.”

 

 He nods slightly,

 

“Okay, that, that might be a good idea. I really hope it’s nothing, but I would like to know before I get out of the hospital. Is there anything I can do to help?”

 

 Magnus gives a somewhat sly smile

 

“ _Well_ , how about you go over your lesson plan for the next week or so…”

 

 Ventura and the teenagers look confused

 

Alec just groans…

 

_He knows **that** look too…_

 

_He’s not as much of a fan of this one…_

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Other-Other-Other-Other-Other

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 “Magnus that’s insane: and _I know I have said that a lot_ , but really, this is.” Alec says for about the tenth time.

 

Max, Kasey and Isaac groan…They’d been going in circles all the way back to the apartment. It’d been entertaining at first, but now it was just repetitive.

 

 _Besides, they kind of agreed with Alec…_ _Magnus’s plan **was** insane_.

 

 His idea was to actually get into the school to investigate by going undercover, as a substitute teacher. Apparently, in college he’d taken a teaching certification class along with a bunch of other random things (He’d said he wasn’t sure what, exactly, he wanted to do, so he wanted to have options).

 

 He had texted Simon and Raphael, filling them in and asking the two to meet them at the apartment. The teens were chattering excitedly. Now that Magnus and Alec were officially working on the case they were much more relaxed, knowing that someone was really going to take it seriously.

 

They were really eager to meet Simon and Raphael. Magnus was cool, and really amazing, but after hearing more about the other two they couldn’t wait to meet them as well.

 

 The elevator doors opened into the alcove, the teens rushing out; both eager to meet Simon and Raphael, and to get away from Magnus and Alec switching between sniping and flirting with each other…

 

_They could deny it all they want; those two were **totally** a couple._

 

 They get to the door, pausing a second, glancing back at Magnus and Alec.

 

“Oh, it’s fine, go right in, we’ll be just a moment” Magnus said, seeing their hesitation, absently waiving them forward before turning back to Alec

 

 Max opens the door cautiously.

 

There are two men sitting on the couch; one had very dark brown, impeccably styled hair, and an immaculate, perfectly tailored black suit, everything about him looks stylish and flawlessly put together, he is smiling, and he has his arm draped over the back of the couch, leaning close to the other man, he looks totally enamored.

 

The other man almost seems the total opposite of the first. His hair is a lighter brown, and a bit messy, slightly given to curl, he’s wearing kind of faded blue jeans and a bright green shirt that says ‘ _there is magic in the air, it’s called WIFI_ ’. The second man is sitting on the couch, kind of against the arm, legs tucked under him, completely turned, facing the other man, everything about him seems animated and energetic, he is eagerly gesturing, and talking excitedly,

 

“…No, that is _totally_ not what I was saying-”

 

“Actually, amore, that **_is_** what you said, it’s not what you meant”

 

_“ **Yeah** , but you know I didn’t mean that!” _

 

The first man chuckles warmly, shaking his head

 

“I am telling you- Oh, Hi!” the second man catches sight of them by the door; he smiles brightly and gives a slight wave. The other man turns, facing them, raising a perfect eyebrow.

 

Max waves slightly

 

_Since when did Alec have so many attractive friends!?_

 

_Jace’s friends weren’t this good looking, and they were **actors** ; being good looking is mostly what they do_

 

 Isaac waves back awkwardly “Uh…Hi”

 

“Hey” Kasey says, blushing lightly

 

 The second man kind of bounds off the couch, moving towards them. The other guy gets up too, though more normally.

 

 “Hi, you must be Alec’s brother Max, _oh_ , and his friends; Kasey and Isaac, right? _It’s SO great to meet you!_ I’m Simon, Alec’s partner, well, _work partner_ , you know, not like **_boyfriend_** type partner. This is Raphael, he’s my actual boyfriend.”

 

_Wow, that is a lot of words for one breath…_

 

“Uh…Hi, yeah, that’s us. It’s nice to meet you, too, my brother said lots of nice things about you, we’re really excited to meet both of you.”

 

Simon positively lights up

 

“ ** _Really_**?! He did!”

 

Isaac nods “Yeah, he said you recently made detective and that you were a really great one.”

 

The guy looks ecstatic, grinning brightly.

 

“I am curious, what did the detective say about me?” Raphael asks, with a sharp smirk

 

_“Uhh…”_

 

_Yeah_ _, everything he said about Simon was sweet and really complimentary. Calling someone an intimidating, manipulative, flirt probably wouldn’t go over as well._

 

“He…he said you were a friend, and…he likes working with you?” Kasey offers somewhat nervously

 

 Raphael chuckles, raising an eyebrow slightly

 

“Oh, is that so?”

 

They nod, shifting kind of nervously

 

_Yeah…okay, they could see what Alec meant_

 

Simon rolls his eyes, lightly smacking him on the arm

 

_“Stop that…”_

 

Before turning back to them

 

“Ignore him, he’s just playing…So, Magnus filled us in on the phone about the case; how is your teacher doing, by the way?”

 

“He’s okay, luckily. He’ll be in the hospital for about a week or two, but other than that he should be fine…hopefully we can have this all sorted before then.” Max says somewhat apprehensively

 

 Simon gives a bright smile, nodding “Oh, I think we totally will; the four of us, I’m pretty sure we can solve anything. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

 

“Well, I don’t know about _that_ …” Raphael says, shrugging, with a slight smirk

 

“At this point I may actually be more concerned for you guys. Mags filled me in on his plan; _specifically,_ on the part with him going in as your substitute teacher; that might actually be more traumatic than the possibility of a saboteur in your midst.”

 

 It surprises a laugh out of the teens

 

 “Thank you guys for helping, we really do appreciate it.”

 

“It is fine, we are glad to help.” Raphael assures

 

Simon gives him a warm smile, leaning over and kissing his cheek

 

“Much better.”

 

Raphael shrugs slightly, slipping his arm around Simon

 

 _Yeah, Alec called that too, guy was a total sap when it came to Simon_. _They really were pretty cute together, though_.

 

“Hey…Where are they anyways?” Simon asks, seemingly just realizing that Magnus and Alec weren’t there

 

Max shook his head faintly, vaguely gesturing towards the door,

 

 “Oh, they’re in the hallway; either flirting or bickering, I couldn’t really tell. Alec’s worried and doesn’t want Magnus going in alone, Magnus thinks it would be fine, Alec disagrees. They have been going around in circles the entire trip here…

 

 _Seriously_ , they’re dating, right?” Max asks

 

 Simon sighs loudly

 

“No, _technically_ they aren’t; they both think they have reasons why they’re not… and I **_guess_** it make sense, but I think they just need time to figure it out.”

 

“What do they need to figure out?”

 

“Well; Magnus doesn’t want to risk his working relationship and friendship with Alec on a romantic relationship that may not work out. Plus Alec treats him as an equal at the station and that doesn’t happen a lot in this field with someone like Magnus, cause, _well_ , some people are just ignorant bigots who can’t see past the makeup and personality to what an awesome guy he is.

 

 Alec also doesn’t want to risk that, plus I think he’s got it in his head that Magnus isn’t interested, or that he’s in some way not good enough; which is _totally_ ridicules, Alec is **_awesome_** ** _!_** He’s smart and brave and good looking and really nice and I mean, okay yeah, he’s kinda grouchy sometime, but it’s not, like, _that_ bad, you know?”

 

_How can someone say that much in one breath?_

 

Max gives a slightly confused quick nod,

 

 “Uh…yeah, totally.”

 

Raphael affectionately rolls his eyes at his boyfriend, then turns to the teens

 

“Basically? For two of the most intelligent men I know, they’re a couple of idiots. We have decided to let them figure it out for themselves…but at this rate, it may take a while.”

 

Max glances at his friends, shrugging a bit

 

“Well…I got these two idiots together, it took me almost a year, but I did. Maybe after all this with Mr. Ventura blows over we may need to give them a bit of a push.”

 

Raphael gave a somewhat dangerous grin, raising his eyebrow slightly

 

“Hmm…Maybe we will.”

 

They are interrupted by the door opening

 

Max groans

 

  _They are **still** at it_

 

“Magnus… _I know_ you can do it, okay? You can do just about anything; but I don’t like it.

 

I know you can take care of yourself; but there is a real possibility that someone is trying to severely hurt, possibly _kill_ , this guy. If they’ll do that to one person, what’s to stop them from doing it to someone else?

 

I don't think you should be undercover by yourself; you need some kind of backup just in case it **_does_** turn into something you can’t handle alone...”

 

 Magnus sighs, somewhat exasperated

 

“Yes, that may well be true. It would be better having someone else inside too, but, wouldn’t it be rather peculiar having **_two_** random substitutes?”

 

Alec shrugs, contemplating,

 

“Yeah it would...”

 

He paused considering,

 

 _“Plus_ , it would be good having someone who the students may talk to on their own level. Maybe get someone to go in as a student?”

 

Magnus gets a look like something clicks

 

He raises an eyebrow, smirking,

 

“I believe that would be _quite_ beneficial…It would make it far easier to get all the necessary information.”

 

 Simon laughs slightly

 

“Yeah, _right_ , who could we possibly get to do that? I mean, like, what cop could **_possibly_** pass for a high school... student?”

 

He finished, haltingly, rather confused, as everyone in the room seemed to be looking at him, consideringly...

 

_He did not like that look..._

 

It clicks

 

_“Aww, crap”_

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
>  
> 
> ****  
> ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________  
>   
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> Kay, so this one took me a bit longer to get together, but I really like it…
> 
> I wasn’t actually planning on having the second part from Max’s perspective, but it just seemed to come out like that and I really liked it,
> 
> And As usual Name game:
> 
> Anthony: Worthy of admiration or praise  
> Ventura: Good Luck or Fortunate - (couldn't pass up the irony)
> 
>  
> 
> So what do you guys think so far?


	4. A Second Chance at A First Impression…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and Magnus getting ready for their first days of High School…
> 
>  

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

 “Okay, _so_ I didn’t know what kind to get cause usually I’d go for ones that seemed more mature or whatever, but as that is, like, the exact opposite of what I need right now I just got an assortment, hopefully I got enough…” Simon says emptying a bag of at least twenty pairs of glasses out on his coffee table

 

Raphael laughs, shaking his head slightly

 

“What?”

 

“Did you leave **any** at the store?” Raphael asks with another chuckle

 

“Hey! I didn’t know okay _,_ I never really paid attention to, like, styles or whatever of glasses, I didn’t even know glasses just for the sake of fashion was, like, a _thing_ that people did…”

 

“ _Why is there a yellow polka dot pair!_?” Raphael blurts out, just barely holding it together,

 

_He’s **really** trying not to laugh_

_It’s not working, at all, but he’s trying…_

 

Simon glares at him

 

“ _They had a whole rack at the dollar store, okay?!_ I had absolutely no clue what would work; I didn’t know what was hip for high schooler’s when I actually WAS in high school, _I have no_ **clue** _now!_ So I _kinda_ panicked and grabbed a bunch in hopes of one of them working.”

 

 He’d actually taken to wearing contacts since his promotion; the glasses tended to make him look younger than he really wanted. Besides, he was worried they’d fall off when he’d really need them and he didn’t really think a fleeing suspect would give him a time out to find his glasses.

 

 He’d ended up getting weekly contacts that he could sleep in; it was a lot more convenient. Plus, it was kinda nice being able to actually **see** first thing in the morning.

 

Also, his glasses kind of got in the way when he was kissing Raphael, and that was _absolutely_ unacceptable

 

  _Raphael did think they were cute though, so there was that…_

 

  _Speaking of Raphael…_

 

“Are you going to help me pick some glasses, or are you just going to laugh at me all night? I’m sure I’ll get enough of that at school tomorrow…” he paused groaning, shaking his head in disbelief,

****

**“Ugh** …I have school tomorrow! _High school!_ I don’t want to go back to high school; I didn’t like it the first time.”

 

 “Sorry amor, you know I didn’t mean anything by it. You are just so adorable when you get all flustered, I couldn’t help it” He says apologetically, leaning over kissing Simon lightly.

 

“You will be fine” he assured gently

 

“That’s easy for you to say, once again, _you do not have to get up for school tomorrow_ _!_ ” Simon pouted slightly

 

Raphael gave a slight shrug,

 

“Well…If it makes you feel any better, it’s rather disturbing that my _boyfriend_ has school tomorrow.”

 

Simon snorts a bit, nodding faintly…

 

_Yeah, okay, that was weird._

 

 “Was High School really that bad for you, amor?” he asked slipping his arms around Simons waist.

 

Simon shakes his head, leaning into him with a soft sigh,

 

“No…not like **really** horrible; I got picked on kind of a lot, but nothing like, _really_ bad. I was just kind of geeky and awkward. I wasn’t really very sure of myself and talked **_way_** too much… So _you know_ , basically exactly how I am _now_ , I just wasn’t as okay with it.”

 

Raphael chuckles lightly

 

“Students thought I was odd and, in general, _just way too much_ , so I didn’t have many friends, _much less a chance for a date_ , which… as I didn’t really get the whole ‘pan’ thing till later, was probably **also** a big part of it. It just wasn’t really a great time and I couldn’t wait for it to be done…I can’t believe I have to do it again, _eight years later._ ” he shrugged somewhat hopelessly. 

 

Raphael caught his hand, tugging him over to the couch, sitting next to him, slipping his arm around Simon, who immediately cuddled closer, slipping his arms around Raphael and resting his head on his shoulder.

 

“Maybe you can look at it another way…” he said, consideringly, absently rubbing his hand up and down Simon’s back

 

“Hmm…how’s that?” Simon sighed, nuzzling in more,

 

“Well…maybe instead of looking at it as having to go through high school again, maybe try to see this week as a kind of do over. Like you said, you are different now, much more confident; you know who you are…You’re a lot happier with yourself, and you are not some scared teenager any more. You are a detective, and an exceptional one at that, you have a lot going for you, amor….”

 

Simon’s looking more contemplative

 

 “Also, you have quite a few good, _real_ friends,”

 

Simon nods a bit

 

“That’s true…”

 

Raphael smirks playfully

 

 “ **And** , while it is true, you _are_ kind of awkward and nerdy, it actually works really well for you” He teases lightly. Simon laughs, nudging him playfully before raising his eyebrow, grinning mischievously.

 

“Yeah, you think?”

 

Raphael nods with a loving smile, before tugging him in for a deep, slow kiss that leaves Simon breathless. He pulls back slightly after a few moments, with a happy sigh.

 

“Mmm…Maybe you’re right, I’ll try to look at it like that …If anything, I definitely have the hottest boyfriend out of anyone at the school.” He says with a grin

 

Raphael chuckled slightly as Simon pulled him in for another passionate kiss

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

Alec knocks on the door promptly at 6:30am…

 

He knows it’s early, but Magnus must be up … he has to be at the school by 8am and Alec wants to go over the plan once more, just to be sure.

 

He _is_ somewhat relieved that Simon will be at the school too, but he just wants to be certain. Maybe he should of called, but Alec felt like actually talking to Magnus face to face, being able to _really_ see that he is understanding how serious this is will make him feel better.

 

It’s not that he thinks he’d take it too lightly, really. Magnus is one of the most intelligent, ingenious, clever people he’s ever met; he doubted there was much of anything the man couldn’t handle.

_However_ , he also happened to be one of the most spontaneous, brazen, **impulsive** people he’d ever met. All that together generally made for a nerve wreaking combination.

 

Magnus could figure out almost anything… _and he knew that damn good and well_ _._ Which meant he had a tendency of jumping into situations head first and just assuming he’d be able to find a way out when he needed one.

 

Alec just wanted to be sure that if something came up Magnus wouldn’t just try to solve it on his own, because, while that usually _did_ work, it also made Alec’s mind run through all the ways it could have gone wrong…

 

 He knocks again, slightly louder. A shuffling sound from the apartment drags him from his thoughts. He really hopes he’s not too mad about the early hour.

_He HAD to be up already, right?_

 

I mean…It is _Magnus_ ; all that ‘ _whatever it is_ ’ that makes him look like he just stepped out of a fashion magazine, that takes time…

_Right?_

 

Hopefully…

 

_6:30 is _awfully_ early though…_

 

 The second the door starts opening he begins apologizing

 

“Hey, Magnus, sorry about the early hour, I just wanted to ch…”

_Aaand…his brain just completely short circuited_

 

It seems that Magnus **was** already up; and had just showered, and…that’s about as far as he’s gotten…

 

He has on a pair of dark, almost black, but actually purple, extremely well tailored suit pants… but that’s it, and he _clearly_ just pulled them on when he heard the door.  He doesn’t look completely dry, and his hair is an **unfairly** attractive, distractingly tousled mess, and he doesn’t have any makeup or jewelry on yet, and he looks somewhere between annoyed and amused…and, _hey_ , **_apparently_** , Magnus works out… _like, a lot_ …

_Okay, stop staring, just talk, like a normal person_

_Stop. Staring._   _It is creepy!_

****

**Damn…**

 

“Uh, h-hey, umm…I uh…the case…check in, sorry…tha-, umm…”

_Oh, yeah, that’s subtle_

_Maybe try_ ** _actual_** _words this time…._

 

 “Alexander, darling, is everything alright?” Magnus asks, with a slight smirk, leaning against the door frame

 

And again, _Damn_

 

He took a deep breath, trying to focus on Magnus’s face,

_Not that that was any_ **_less_ ** _distracting…_

 

But at least he was relatively familiar with **that** level of distraction. Though, he’d never seen Magnus without any makeup, it wasn’t really that big of a change…He was just as unfairly gorgeous and mesmerizing without it. He took another deep breath, trying again.

 

 “S-sorry for coming by so early, I just wanted to go over the plan with you one more time…”

 

Magnus sighed slightly, rolling his eyes

 

“ _Darling_ , it will be **fine** ; we have faced far worse. It’s a _high school_ , it may even come down to a series of pranks and coincidences after all, it will be okay.”

 

Alec shook his head

 

“See… **that’s** what worries me; if you go in thinking it’s nothing and it actually is _something_ , it could go bad fast”

 

“I know, sweetheart” he said with an exceptionally appealing smile, leaning closer

 

Alec steadfastly tries to ignore it…He knew Magnus teased him sometimes, purposely flustering him, at times reducing him to little more than a stammering, stuttering mess.

 

_He’d known the man for **months** , he had kind of hoped he’d of built up some kind of immunity to it by now_

 

_No luck so far, though…_

 

 “Magnus, I just wan-”

 

“Darling, I hate to interrupt, but I **do** have to be at the school by eight, and this sounds like a bit more than a five minute conversation. I really think this may be somewhat against the school dress code, don’t you?” he said amused, gesturing to himself

 

 “Uh…y-yeah, I…”

 

Alec gave up on the sentence, settling on a nod, blushing brightly

_Seriously, even just the slightest bit of immunity would help…_

 

Alec shrugged, taking this as a dismissal. Magnus was probably right after all… And being late his first day wouldn’t really help the whole undercover thing.

 

Alec turns to go.

 

Magnus shakes his head, giving a slight chuckle; he reaches out and catches Alec’s arm, tugging him back.

 

“ _My darling detective_ , please don’t look like that…if you are **that** worried, we can talk about it again…”

 

Alec shakes his head faintly

 

“No, that’s alright, you’re probably right anyways, you almost always are…and you do have to finish getting ready.”

 

He begins to turn again; Magnus tugs him back, yet again, squeezing his arm slightly, trailing his hand down his arm, catching his hand.

 

“Yes, I do…So come in and we’ll talk as I get ready”

_Uhhhhh……._

 

“Huh?”

_Yeah, that was about the closest thing to a word he was gonna get_

 

Magnus shrugged, leaning a bit closer,

 

“Darling; you are _clearly_ nervous about the plan and, while it is nowhere near the craziest or most outlandish thing I’ve done, _possibly even this month_ , I don’t want you being on edge all day. Just come in, we’ll go over as many of the details as it takes for you to stop being so apprehensive. Now come along darling, I really do need to get moving.”

 

With that he turned and went back into the apartment, just expecting Alec to follow him.

 

_Like Alec was just going to jump when he said…_

 

 Alec quickly closed the door behind him and followed Magnus through the apartment, hesitating when he reached the door to Magnus’s bedroom...

 

 Since his first visit, he’d been to the apartment more than a few times. Both Magnus and Simon had taken to inviting him along to various movie nights or other group type things; it was actually really nice, he appreciated the thought.

 

Though he kind of thought Magnus just wanted someone else there so he wouldn’t feel like a third wheel. Simon was just ecstatic that Alec actually wanted to hang out with him, and, of course, since Magnus and Simon were happy, Raphael was, too…

 

He’d even let up on purposely scaring Alec…

 

 _Well_ , at least a bit.

 

It was an improvement in any case.

 

 He’d never been in Magnus’s room though; never even looked in there. He was a bit curious about it however. He stepped into the room cautiously, glancing around. His first thought was that it was, most definitely, Magnus’s room.

 

Everything seemed to be in deep, rich violet, red and black. The walls were a warm, soft creamy gold shade that seemed to make everything else stand out all the more.

 

The center of the room was a very large, very elaborate looking, four poster bed, which he promptly looked away from, as he really didn’t need to know that’s where Magnus sleeps… that was… _umm…_

 

 ** _Anyways_** … at the foot of the bed there was a small, rather comfortable looking bench type seat that was a deep violet, there was also a rather elaborate looking vanity with a matching chair against one wall, as well as a small desk on another, piled high with books and such. Everywhere he looked he saw more of Magnus’s personality and touches.

 

A few random curios and such interspersed with various brightly colored or shimmery items. There were a few pictures here and there as well. Alec had a fleeting thought that this must be like getting a glimpse into his mind, his heart; this was Magnus, completely.

 

It was warm, inviting, unique, just the slightest bit chaotic, and absolutely enthralling…

 

_Exactly like Magnus…_

 

 “So, shall we begin?” Magnus asks, startling Alec

 

He whirled around to face Magnus…Who _still_ didn’t have a shirt on, though he at least had one in his hand, it was a soft blue with a faint, barely there silver pattern. He did have some of his jewelry on though…which was actually far worse.

 

His necklace was a simple black leather chord that had an elaborate silver pendant resembling an exceedingly intricate Celtic knot. He had on a few rings and a silver earcuff, which Alec always found far more distracting that he should.

 

“Huh?” Alec asked, zoning out slightly

 

 Magnus chuckled, tilting his head,

 

“Going over the plan, darling?” he elaborated, before tossing the shirt rather carelessly on the bed and turning towards the vanity, beginning to get a few bottles and other random things out and apparently in some kind of order, about which Alec was at a total loss…

 

“Y-yeah…uh…aren’t you going to put your shirt on?” he asked, blushing further, scratching awkwardly at his neck, trying to glance away but really unable to,

 

It was downright distracting

 

Magnus shook his head, giving him a slightly mischievous smile and shrug

 

“No, not yet… I’d rather get my makeup ready first, this way I do not run the risk of smudging it, It doesn’t bother you, does it, Alexander?” he asks, raising his eyebrow slightly in the mirror, as he used a black pen and traced a perfect line over his eye…

 

_How did he do that while talking?_

 

“N-No, no it doesn’t I, I just thought you might be… _umm_ , cold or something…”

 

_Wow, smooth…_

 

 Magnus laughed slightly, brushing a bit of a light, shimmering power over his eyelids and a bit on his cheekbones.

 

“Oh, darling, no need to worry about that, I actually tend to run rather hot.”

 

 _Yeah…you’re hot alright_  

 

 _Damnit; Magnus_ _was the one going into a high school, why was_ ** _his_** _inner voice suddenly sounding like an obnoxious, sarcastic teenager?_

 

“Uh…yeah, okay… So, I just wanted to go over it some because…” he trailed off

 

Magnus was skillfully applying a soft, shimmery, violet-pink lipstick,

 

_That was just_ **_way_ ** _more alluring than it had any right to be_

 

 Apparently finished, Magnus turns smoothly getting up and grabbing his shirt all seemingly in one movement, slipping it on and fastening all but the top two buttons, He turns, practically gliding towards Alec,

 

“ ** _Darling_** ; I know the plan…I go in as a teacher, merely _observe_ and collect information, I meet with Simon and discuss any information we find. I **will** text you everything I find, the second I can discreetly.  I ****do not**** make any rash moves or crazy decisions without at _least_ having Simon nearby.

 

It will be okay…He is an excellent detective; you know it as well as I…”

 

“I know, it’s just-”

 

Magnus reached up, lightly putting his finger to Alec’s lips, silencing him. He gave Alec a warm, reassuring, smile,

 

“ _Alexander_ , sweetheart? It’s alright; you are worried because it is potentially dangerous and you will not be there…I **do** understand. I know how much my actions during the bank heist worried you. I **did** promise I would not take any risks as crazy as that again, and _I meant it_. I will not take any needless risks, and I promise I _will_ let you know of any and all developments that occur. Trust me, my darling detective; it will all be alright…I _sense_ it.”

 

 He finished with a slightly teasing tone and rather impish grin.

 

 Alec laughed; surprised; he rolled his eyes, but smiled

 

“Okay, _fine_ , I give, I’ll try not to worry anymore…so, are you ready for your first day of class?”

 

Magnus tilts his head, giving a slight, mischievous smile

 

“Yes, al _though_ …I forgot something… _what was it?_ hmm…Oh, **yes** , I remember”

 

“What?”

 

He leans up and presses a quick, firm kiss to Alec’s cheek,

 

Alec blushes brilliantly

 

“W-what, was that for?” he stammers

 

Magnus smirks

 

 “For Good luck…

 

 _Also_ , I forgot to blot my lipstick.”

 

He turns laughing slightly, grabbing his matching jacket off the back of the door as he heads out.

 

Alec glances in the mirror by the bedroom door.

 

Sure enough there is a perfect violet-pink lip print on his cheek.

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 


	5. It Feels like the First Day of School…Oh, Wait…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon endures his first day of high school in nearly a decade
> 
> And runs into a familiar face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Notes: **
> 
> Okay so just a quick thing; this story will almost certainly have quite a few OC’s…
> 
>  If you hadn’t noticed yet, I don’t really end up with a whole lot of totally straight characters (unless they’re, like a preexisting characters parent, or a kind of one dimensional suspect or something); that’s not going to change. I’m not like, playing random identity bingo, or whatever, trying to put in as many as possible…it’s just, there are SO many different ways people identify, and in most types of media, we see, like, three (and that’s generous, usually it’s one).
> 
> **_That’s boring,_ **
> 
> **_And really limiting_ **
> 
> So, yeah, I’m not gonna be that restricted…
> 
> Just FYI…
> 
> Anyways, onto the actual story
> 
>  

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

Simons alarm began blaring just before seven, jarring him awake. He quickly sat up, vaguely disoriented, turning off the noise and trying to get his bearings.

 

 _Why did he have to get up so early today? Did he have an early shift?_ _Oh, right…he had school_.

 

**High School**

 

 _That wasn’t a weird thought_.

 

 He’d awakened cuddled up with Raphael, so really, a perfect way to start any day. They’d decided to stay at Simon’s, this way he’d have his entire wardrobe to choose from.

 

“Mmm…morning…”Raphael murmured, giving him a bit of a sleepy smile that really makes Simon want to just blow off the entire plan and spend the entire day right here.

 

_Magnus would probably understand, right?_

 

 He sits up, tugging Simon closer, kissing him lightly. Simon sighs happily, leaning against him, still not completely awake himself, and totally content to stay exactly like this for the rest of the day.

 

“I don’t want to go to school today” he mumbled sleepily, nuzzling closer

 

Raphael burst out laughing

 

 _“Hey!”_ Simon snapped, shoving him lightly 

 

“S-sorry, amor, that's just weird to hear from someone I just woke up with…I almost thought you were half asleep and kind of out of it, then I realized that you actually _**DO**_ have school today.”

 

Simon tried to glare, but couldn’t quite stop the smile tugging at his lips. He shook his head.

 

“Oh my god, _I have to go to **school** today_! I have to sit through classes and listen to gossip and deal with teachers and teenagers, who think I’m one of them…And I have to actually try to fit in and, like, _become_ one of them…”

 

“It sounds like Jane Goodall and the chimps” Raphael said, snickering

 

 _“I think I might actually take chimps over an entire school of teenagers!”_ Simon groaned

 

 Raphael laughed, yet again

 

“That’s really not helping” Simon grumbled, pouting slightly

 

Raphael gave an apologetic shrug, at least looking vaguely guilty… though he’s _still_ laughing somewhat.

 

“I know, amor, I really am trying…this is just completely absurd.”

 

 Simon nodded fervently at that

 

“You’re telling me… and anyways, you really should be trying to help me. First off you’re my _boyfriend_ and second, this entire thing is _your_ best friends plan.”

Raphael shook his head quickly, holding his hands up,

 

“ _Hey!_ I can’t be held responsible for his craziness this time…I was with **you** when he came up with this. If we’re blaming anyone, blame Alec; he was with Magnus at the time. It was totally his shift on reigning in the Magnus Craziness.” Raphael argued, playfully

 

Simon laughed, nodding slightly

 

“Okay…Fine, we’ll blame Alec, guess you’re off the hook. But now you need to **stop** laughing and actually _help me get ready for school_!”

 

Raphael snickered…At least it was kind of controlled

 

_Simon would be a lot more annoyed if his boyfriend wasn’t so ridiculously beautiful when he was laughing like that_

 

_It made it really hard to stay mad…_

 

 He got up, moving towards his closet, glancing though his clothes. He realized most of his newer items Raphael had helped him pick out seemed to have taken up residence at the apartment…

 

_Which was…Something else that he really didn’t need to focus on right now_

 

_Though it did make him smile fondly_

 

Raphael moved off the bed, joining him, glancing though the haphazard assortment of dorky tees and general randomness that was so completely Simon.

 

Suddenly, he felt a bit bashful …

 

Not that Raphael didn’t see all this when he was wearing them, but seeing all the odd, quirkiness together, it seems like a bit much. He glances over at Raphael’s face to see his reaction.

 

_**Oh** _ _, okay…Maybe not so bad after all_

 

He’s smiling warmly, thumbing through them, reading each random saying, shaking his head slightly here and there, chuckling softly every now and then, but the smile never leaves his face, and it’s kind of ridiculously loving and breathtaking and utterly fascinated and kind of makes Simons heart race…

 

_He really has no idea how he got this lucky_

 

 He smiles affectionately, leaning over, kissing Raphael’s cheek

 

“You pick one out, I’ll find what jeans I want to wear and get my glasses” he murmured, kissing him one more time…

 

Raphael grinned, happily before turning back to it…

 

_He didn’t know how this whole day would be…but the morning was absolutely perfect._

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

Leaving the house, Raphael’s suggestion to look at this time as a do over of high school had made total sense

 

_At first…_

 

 But the closer it got to him actually going to the school, the more nervous he’d got. He really didn’t know how he was going to pull this off. He’d never done anything even close to undercover work. _Hell_ , up until last month he hadn’t even really known how to lie convincingly!

 

He didn’t know how to actually act like a student! Yeah, he knew what _he had_ done in high school, but that basically amounted to trying too hard, flailing awkwardly, and dodging annoyed, angry football players…

 

That probably wouldn’t work too well if he’s actually supposed to get the students to talk to him and see him as one of them.

 

_Geez, he couldn’t get them to do that when he_ **WAS** _actually one of them!_

 

_This was going to go so bad!_

 

 Honestly, what were they thinking, sending him in undercover? I mean, _okay_ , Magnus as a teacher was kinda unusual, but in a cool, awesome way…him as a _**student**_? Not so much.

 

They’d went over the plan with Luke as well; filling him in on the teen’s concerns and actually getting official clearance for the undercover thing…He’d laughed so hard about Simon’s part he’d nearly fell out of his chair…

 

_Simon failed to see the humor_

 

At least they did have backing by the department, so it wasn’t like they were working off the books or anything

 

Still, he was nervous…

 

They’d actually put in, what seemed like, an official school transfer and everything so it didn’t look like he just randomly wandered into the school. He took a deep breath as he reached the campus…

 

_Here goes nothing_

 

 He bounds cheerfully into the office, grinning somewhat manically at the lady sitting behind the desk. She gives him a slightly concerned look

 

“Hello…?”

 

“Hi! I’m De- _I mean_ , uh, Simon Lewis, that’s it, I’m supposed to start school here today!” he says in an overly chipper, _far too loud_ , voice

 

“Umm…Okay, well...Do you have your paperwork?” she asks cautiously,

 

“Oh, Yeah! It’s…umm…right, some…Here!” he said, reaching in his bag and pulling it out haphazardly, handing the stack to her

 

“ **Oh** , _wait_ , I think there’s more…” he said, fumbling through the bag again, finding the last page, holding it up in triumph

 

Another big, overly cheerful grin

 

“Uh huh...Can you wait one moment…” She asked obviously concerned

 

“S-sure?” he said, eyes darting around nervously,

 

She nodded, giving him a, _clearly fake_ , smile and kind of hurrying to the principal’s office, quickly entering and closing the door behind her.

 

_Yeah…that probably was a bad sign…_

 

  _ **Damnit!**_

 

He’d messed this up already! He figured he’d at least make it to his first class before any major screw ups! Okay, don’t panic…you can fix this; you can **totally** fix this… _ **How?!**_ _How can I fix this?! She probably thinks I’m deranged;_

 

Oh man…this was SO bad!

 

How was he go-

 

“ _Detective Lewis!_?” A vaguely familiar voice called, cutting off his panicking

 

He glanced towards the door

 

“Divya?” he asked, somewhat shocked       

 

She gave a bright happy laugh, shaking her head

 

“It _**is**_ you; Oh my god, _what are you wearing_?! You look younger than I do, I almost didn’t even recognize you!”

 

He glanced towards the closed door; they were the only ones in the office, still…

 

“ _Shh!_ It’s just **_Simon_** right now, okay?” he hissed franticly

 

“Why? Are you working on a case or something?” She asked, eyes widening in excitement

 

“That’s no- I can’t, _oh_ … _ **Yes**_ , okay? I am, at least I’m trying to, but the-”

 

He’s cut off by the office door opening and the receptionist returning with an older man with graying hair and a somewhat serous expression who is carrying his file…

 

_Yeah, this SO wasn’t going well…_

 

 Simon tried to look casual and friendly; he leaned against the desk and smiled charmingly.

 

_Well, he tried to…_

 

What _**actually**_ happened was his elbow caught a small, brightly colored statue type thing on the edge of the desk, sending it, along with a couple books and a folder, tumbling to the ground and scattering about.

 

“Oh dude! I am SO sorry, _I got it_!” he quickly ducked down trying to gather up all the papers and other things. He hastily collected all the items, standing up a bit too quickly and slightly catching his shoulder on the edge of the desk.

 

“ _Oww!_ Uh, I, I think that’s all of it, umm…Hi, sir…I’m your new student Lewis, uh Simon…Simon Lewis… _that’s it! That’s the right order_. Nice, uh, nice to meet you” He said, with a _way_ too wide grin.

 

The principal looked just as nervous as the receptionist had, he moved slightly closer to the phone.

 

_Yeah…not good…_

 

 “See, I _**told**_ you this school would be good for you…I know you liked your old one and were really bummed to have to transfer so late in the year, but It will be great!” Divya said cheerfully

 

She turned to the principal.

 

“Sorry about that, Ms. Everly, Principal Sullivan…he’s just really nervous about having to start all over at a new school, you understand. I’ve been telling him for _weeks_ it’d be fine, but he’s still worried. I’m sure, once he sees how great our school is, he’ll be fine.” she offered confidently.

 

 The principal looked at her with a slightly raised eyebrow

 

“Ms. Nadim…do you know this young man?”

 

She nodded, casually throwing her arm around his shoulders,

 

“Yep, we’ve been friends for years. Met at the national science convention a while ago and really hit it off. It’s gonna be great having him at our school…So long as he doesn’t end up knocking me out of the running for class president or anything like that.” She grins brightly

 

Both the principal and the receptionist looked relieved.

 

Simon just tried to look as normal and non crazy as possible and not gawk at her.

 

 “Do you have his schedule? I can help him find his classes”

 

Ms. Everly nods, pulling out the paper from the file. She glances over it, nodding slightly.

 

“Oh, cool! You have Mr. Ventura’s class for Home room…I’m actually free till second; I just help in the office or wherever till then usually. I can show you where it is, and help you find your way around today. They’ve already started by now, but I’m sure it’ll be fine, I think they have a sub today anyways.”

 

“ _Uhh_ …yeah, okay, cool, thanks” he said, smiling once more at Ms. Everly and the giving a slightly dorky wave before turning and following Divya out the door.

 

 As soon as they got away from the door Simon breathed a sigh of relief

 

“ _Oh my god!_ Thank you SO much! That was going so bad, I almost blew it before it even really started; I think he was, like, five minutes away from calling the police! _And this is in OUR precinct; I’d never hear the end of it!_ _”_

 

She laughed, shaking her head

 

“Eh, no problem…you did pretty much save both mine and my brother’s lives, I figure I kind of owe you, it’s the least I can do.”

 

“Still, thanks again”

 

She shrugs nonchalantly

 

“It’s fine…So, what are you doing here, anyways?”

 

He hesitated, giving her a slightly apologetic look

 

“Well, umm…It’s kind of a secret”

 

She gave him a sarcastic look back, raising an eyebrow

 

“Uh, Simon? I already know you’re a detective, and **_obviously_** you are undercover for some kind of case, because with the exception of the absurdly popular cheerleaders or jocks, no one actually _WANTS_ to be in high school…so I think I got most of it, may as well fill me in on the rest.

 

Besides, I may be able to help; I know this place pretty well, I have a good rapport with most of the staff, I’m in a bunch of clubs.  Also I’m on the school paper, so if I go around asking people questions it will be totally normal…Plus, no offense, but I think right now, you kinda need all the help you can get.”

 

He shrugs slightly,

 

_Yeah she kinda has a point there_

 He sighs a bit

 

“Okay, well; you remember my partner Alec, right?”

 

She nods, indicating for him to continue

 

He nods back

 

“Well, okay so his little brother Max goes here too and he thinks something weird is going on…See I guess on Friday his teacher was in an accident-”

 

“Mr. Ventura?” She asks curiously,

 

“Yeah, and he and his friends think it’s really weird cause, like a LOT of things have been going wrong for him lately. A lot of it seems like it could just be coincidences or pranks or whatever, but it just seems like an awful lot for it to be that, and if the accident is connected then that is way beyond a prank. They were really worried, so we wanted to check it out.”

 

Her eyes widened slightly, she tilted her head,

 

“So, you really think his accident may have been deliberate? I really hope not, he’s a great teacher, one of my favorites”

 

Simon gave a slight shrug,

 

 “Well, we really hope that’s not the case, but we wanted to find out for sure before he gets out of the hospital.”

 

  “Yeah, that, that would probably be good… _Wait_ , you keep saying ‘we’, is someone else undercover at the school, too?” she paused, raising her eyebrow curiously,

 

 Simon nods slightly

 

“Yeah, actually; Magnus.”

 

She gives out a surprised laugh,

 

“ _WHAT!?_ Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding! There is _no way_ he could pass for a student!” she exclaims, shocked

 

Simon laughs at that picture… _Okay, yeah that SO would not work_

 

“No, he is actually the substitute for Mr. Ventura’s class” he says in between chuckles

 

She actually just stops in her tracks, all but freezing, before nearly dissolving into a fit of full on giggles.

 

“T-that, that’s, _oh my god!_ **Magnus** _as a teacher?!_ Like, seriously? Oh, man, this is too good. I am _SO_ in! I have got to see this…Oh, also, I totally want to help Mr. Ventura, but, _seriously_ , I have got to see this” she said excitedly, still giggling faintly

 

Simon chuckled himself raising his eyebrow

 

“Umm, don’t you have to get to your own class?”

 

She shrugged slightly

 

“Well, I actually have first period free, usually I just help out in the office, or library. Sometimes I TA when it’s needed…I think, with Magnus trying to teach Mr. Ventura’s class, _yeah_ , it may be needed.”

 

Simon laughed, nodding…

 

_Umm…_ **yeah** _, if Magnus’s first day of school went anything like Simons, it was probably almost certainly needed_

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so next we’ll have some of Magnus’s first day…  
> It was supposed to be the second part of this one, but Raphael and Simon distracted me by being all cute, so we’ll just give the next whole chapter to Magnus to make up for it  
> Also, I know for them to be undercover it would work better to have fake names or something, but I have a tendency to get so caught up on names that I lose a lot of time that could actually progress the story… so, we’re just going to overlook this as it could be a common name (and if Magnus and Simon try to pick out human names?...It would actually probably be more suspicious than their actual names)  
> Hope you guys like it…  
> Name Game:  
> Principal Sullivan: eyes Like a Hawk  
> Ms. Everly- From a wild boar meadow


	6. Roll Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus goes to the first class of the day; apparently he was so focused on the whole 'possible murderer thing he forgot about all the teenagers a possible murderer might be preferable 
> 
> Meets some of the other staff…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Notes: **
> 
> Okay, so this chapter I will probably be throwing an absurd amount of names at you…
> 
> We have an entire class (We’re not gonna go through the whole roster, but there have to be more in the class than just Max and his two friends)
> 
> Plus we’re going to have some staff…
> 
> There’s really only two OC’s, but they are easy enough to pick out…
> 
> To save time, and entertain me, I have decided that all the filler characters will be random ones from two ‘teen type shows/movies’ High School Musical and Teen Wolf (because I know enough of the names I don’t have to keep searching; _No there are no werewolves or random musical numbers_ …I don’t know how to write musical numbers, and I figure throwing these guys into a classroom with about 30 teens is enough like throwing them to the wolves already without it being literal…)
> 
> _Anyways…Enjoy_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Magnus chuckled slightly leaving the front office heading to his classroom for the week…Poor principal Sullivan nearly fell out of his chair when Magnus had walked in. Apparently, he just was not what the man expected for a substitute teacher for an AP science class. He'd stuttered and stammered and looked like he might hyperventilate.

 

_It was actually a better reaction than he’d expected_

 

  Magnus was a bit apprehensive when he’d first seen the rather stuffy, conservative looking man; but he’d just been flustered and awkward, not hostile, so Magnus counted it a win and took it as a good sign as to how the day would progress. It was rather uplifting, actually.

 

Usually, In Magnus’s experience, people like that tended to have rather bad reactions to guys in makeup and jewelry… He really had tried to go fairly subdued with them,

 

  _Well_ , _except the lipstick._

 

He’d actually been planning to go for a subtle, barely there gloss, but Alec was just so adorably flustered, and he couldn’t pass up choosing something that would really leave a mark -literally and figuratively, the color tended to dry fairly swiftly, and stain somewhat-. If he didn’t wipe it off rather quickly it would in all likelihood be there most of the day…

 

_Magnus kind of hoped he didn’t_

 

 That had been a rather lovely way to start the morning. He’d been annoyed being disturbed so early, not really awake enough to even hazard a guess as to who it would be, though he should of realized Alec would still be nervous about the case.

 

_Even though they had went over it countless times the evening before…_

 

_And Simon **would** be there for backup. _

 

He truly adored Alexander, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t getting more than a bit annoying.

 

_Well, he HAD been annoyed,_

 

Until Alec actually looked at him and completely froze. Magnus could practically see his brain stop. He’d just stared, completely at a loss, and with a wide eyed, shocked, absolutely dumbfounded expression that almost reminded Magnus of Simon…It was simply far too charming to remain sensible.

 

He couldn’t help pushing, just a bit…Leaning a bit closer, smiling a bit more invitingly, flirting just _a bit_ more than usual. He so loved seeing Alec that out of sorts. Flustered, stuttering, blushing Alec was, easily, one of his favorite versions of Alec.

 

_Well, one of the top three, anyways:_

 

His absolute favorites were tied between playful, teasing, joking Alec, and sincere, earnest, Alec; the one he sees when Alec vouches for him, like when he’d told Ventura that he may not believe in psychic powers, _but he believed in Magnus_ …

 

When he’d say things like that, he would say them in a tone that Magnus could tell, to him was the absolute truth, both those sides of the man made his heart race, and his breath catch. Made him want to do everything he could to see them; he could never see those versions of Alexander enough.

 

_Or, really, any Alexander._

The man really was far too appealing to remain levelheaded around. He _knew_ there were reasons that they shouldn’t be together, and they made total sense… they really did…

 

_In theory anyways_

 

But… _Man_ , every time he got close, all those very valid, _totally_ logical reasons became fuzzy and slipped his mind, which, for someone with an eidetic memory, was a bit of an odd experience.

 

He knew he flirted way too much with the man, was far too tactile. It was probably too much, almost certainly making being around him even more distracting- _for both of them-_ But he just couldn’t help it.

 

He sighed as he reached the hall that his classroom was in, shaking his head to clear the thoughts of one extraordinarily distracting detective. He slowed as he glanced up. Max, Kasey and Isaac were waiting by the door. Magnus raised an eyebrow curiously.

 

“Good morning, boys” he said questioningly unlocking the door

 

 They scramble quickly inside

 

 “Morning…So I know Mr. Ventura probably went over all the stuff about class work and all that kind of thing but I didn’t know if he told you anything about the actual students and we wanted to see if you want us to go over anything on them…” Max said,

 

He glances at the seating chart Magnus placed on the desk along with the lesson plan. They all three begin pointing, talking over one another.

 

 “So, Chad will probably fall asleep at some point during class, and sometimes he actually falls _**out**_ of the chair, but usually Ryan will nudge him to wake him up before that happens… _well_ , unless they had an argument or they’re broken up this week or something, then he’ll just laugh with the rest of us.” Kasey begins

 

“Taylor's probably gonna try to quiz you cause she is really academically motivated and wants to get as much out of this class as possible and it’s _totally nothing to do with you_ _,_ she does it to all the subs. Jackson will most likely make some kind of obnoxious comments, but he’s just kind of a jerk, usually Danny can get him to stop being so obnoxious… _sometimes”_

 

 “Ericka will be kind of over the top and probably make a few comments that’ll have some of the other’s blushing, she’s loud and kind of showy, but she’s actually really cool and funny. Boyd probably won’t say anything the entire class, but he is paying attention and is actually really smart- _they are the weirdest couple I’ve ever seen_ _-_ but it seems to work.  Kelsi will _look_ like she’s paying attention, and taking notes, but she is actually writing songs for her band” Isaac supplied

 

 “Oh, also, Allison is really kind of shy, but she knows, like, everything, Gabby is too, but quiet and usually won’t answer a question unless it is directed straight at her.  

 

Billie is genderfluid, and that kind of throws a lot of teachers at first, cause they don’t really know if they should call her, _well_ , her or him or whatever, but Billie’s usually just good with anything, so long as they’re not purposely being insulting or something like that. Ethan and Aidan are twins, Aidan is a bit smarter than Ethan, but he’s also shyer so he won’t talk as much, Ethan doesn’t usually shut up, _that’s how_ **I** _tell them apart_ ”

 

 “Plus, Troy thinks he should have a better grade, but doesn’t put in the work, thinks since he’s the star of the basketball team he should just get to coast, there’s a few like that in your other classes too, FYI. Danny will _look_ like he isn’t paying attention, but is actually getting one of the best grades in the class, he’ll probably switch seats with Zeke so he’s next to Jackson, but that is kinda more for your benefit, as he is about the only person who can get the guy to act like something other than an overly self absorbed, egotistical jock with more hair product than brains.

 

Jason and Scott both look like they know nothing… _and they_ **don’t** , I think them being in here is the result of a dare or it was a huge mix up. Everyone else is just kind of there and won’t really cause any problems.

 

So, got it?” Max finished as the bell rang, looking at him

 

 Magnus kind of stared for a moment; it suddenly really hitting him that he would be dealing with nearly 200 students between the ages of 15 to 17, every day, for about the next week ( _Possibly more_ )

 

“Well, I guess we’ll soon find out” he said, as they hurry to their seats. He first group of students begin to wander in, chattering away, one of them glanced towards the teachers desk, then freezes, causing two other boys behind him to stumble into him…

 

“Ethan? What’s the hold up?” a blond guy asks, glancing towards the desk. His eyes widen slightly.

 

“Uh…Hi?”

 

“Good morning, I’m Magnus; I’ll be your teacher for this week.”

_“Okay”_ he says, rather enthusiastically

 

They’re still standing there.

 

Magnus has to fight a chuckle, he raises his eyebrow slightly.

 

“Would you mind taking your seat, dear? You’re kind of blocking the door,”

 

Ethan seems to startle slightly,

 

“Oh, uh, r-right” he stammers, beginning to move again

 

The two behind him are staring a bit as well.

 

Magnus turns from them finishing getting his papers out and ready for the day

 

“Dude, I have a new favorite class” one of them mutters

 

 He waits until the whole class is settled, seeming to be perusing the lesson plan, but watching them as they enter the room. More than a few react quite similar to Ethan, staring or freezing. Some just don’t seem to care, they seem half asleep; he can relate,

 

_It is FAR too early_

 

One student really stands out; they had rather unruly, not quite chin length hair in a brilliant cerulean blue, with pink tips, fairly soft features, and a few earrings in both ears. They had on a bright purple shirt with “In My Defense, I Was Left Unsupervised’ in shimmery green lettering and several multicolored bracelets on both wrists.

 

The student looks at him in total shock, then smiles, looking completely relieved, before giving a slightly geeky, adorably animated wave then rushing to their seat. He waves back, amused, chuckling slightly. He sees a few of them whispering, chattering excitedly.

 

Nearly all were staring; though it shifted between wide eyed shock, confusion, appreciative, judgmental, or considering depending on the student.

 

Isaac and Max smile encouragingly

 

Kasey gives him a thumbs up

 

He makes a mental note to go over the whole ‘ _undercover’_ thing with them later…It is sweet though.

 

 He walks around the desk, leaning casually against it and gives a charming smile. One blond boy in a hat giggled, blushing slightly, before shrugging. The curly haired guy next to him rolled his eyes somewhat, but smiled affectionately.

 

_Well, if anything they are focused_

 

“Good morning class…My name is Magnus; I will be your teacher for this week. I know it’s rather unconventional to call a teacher by their first name, but, _well_ , as you may be able to tell, I’m rather unconventional myself, so I figure we may as well just run with it.”

 

A few laugh, a couple more are nodding

 

A few just look slightly dazed

 

Or possibly still asleep

 

 “I am, however, going to stick with Mr. Ventura’s lesson plan as it is still his class and he was kind enough to go over it with me so I knew exactly what to expect of you, and what you should be able to expect from me as your teacher, however brief a time it is.

 

That being said, I am well aware that I probably am not what you were expecting for an AP science teacher-”

 

“ _ **Yeah,**_ you’re hot”

 

 A girl with curly blonde hair, a leather jacket, and a rather wide smirk said, loud enough for the entire class to hear.

 

Most of the class laughed, Magnus included

 

“Well, thank you sweetie, I do try” he said without missing a beat

 

More laughter

 

Most of them looked far more relaxed. A few of the more studious looked a bit concerned though.

 

“I assure you, though I may not look so, I am perfectly qualified for the job. In addition to that I sat with Mr. Ventura for hours going over his lesson plan to be sure that I was completely ready for the class, as I do know that it is a college prep class, and many of the students in here are quite academically motivated.

 

I will run the class the same way he does, as it _IS_ still his class, I’m merely visiting for a bit. I don’t expect you to simply take my word for it, just keep an open mind and don’t form your opinions based solely on appearances, we all know how deceiving those can be.”

 

  A few of the hold outs nod a bit

 

“Now, before we do actually start the lesson, I would like to give you all the opportunity to ask whatever questions you would like.”

 

He shifted his gaze to Ericka, raising his eyebrow,

 

“ _Though_ if any of them are **too** personal I will merely plead the fifth, as is my right during an interrogation, and we all know that is exactly what this is likely to turn into.”

 

More laughs, Ericka shook her head, but grinned

 

 “So how long have you wanted to be a teacher?” one girl started

 

“Oh, it was never really my goal, I just sort of fell into it”

 

  _“_ Why do you wear makeup?”

 

“Because I like it, it is creative, and fun. Plus it is quite entertaining seeing extremely uptight people freak out about such a simple, insignificant thing as a guy with a bit of makeup.”

 

A few snicker slightly

 

 “So you’re gay, right?”

 

“Bi, actually. That however has nothing to do with makeup or style preference or anything like that. Though heteronormativity and gender politics are less a science class and more a sociology one.”

 

 “Have you taught a lot?”

 

“All the time…every once in a while it’s even in a classroom.”

 

Giggles, a few people blushing

 

_Well, he didn’t mean it like_ **that** _, but…_

 

 “Um…you said you went to see Mr. Ventura, how was he doing?” a quiet, somewhat shy sounding voice asked

 

Magnus glanced at the student; it was the one with the brightly colored hair that had waved. Thinking back to the roster,

 

_Billie_

 

He gave a warm reassuring, smile,

 

“He is doing quite alright, he should be fine… probably will be back by next week.”

 

“ _Hey, no hurry!”_ One of the kids said, rather loudly,

 

There were a few snickers

 

Billie looked relived, though, relaxing slightly

 

“So, wh-”

 

Magnus was interrupted by the door opening, glancing up he had to do a double take

 

_…Okay, he definitely had the better part of this undercover thing…_

 

Simon had his hair a bit of a mess, no styling whatsoever and rather curly. He had on a slim fitting bright blue shirt that just said, ‘Don’t Blink’ with faded, slightly wore blue jeans and white tennis shoes. His new student ID was on a lanyard around his neck. He also had on a pair of black framed glasses.

 

Magnus had to hide a laugh.

 

He looked like he was all of sixteen if he was a day. 

 

“Well, hello? And how may I help you?” he said with a slight grin

 

Simon gave him a sarcastic look that rivaled Raphael’s. He barely contained his laugh before glancing from Simon to the person who’d escorted him in,

 

_And_ **again** _he had to do a double take_

 

“This is your new Student; Simon Lewis, he will be joining the class today. And I am Divya Nadim, I help at the office and do some TA work as well before my actual classes start. I thought as it is your first day substituting here you may like a bit of assistance.” she grinned

 

 Magnus smiled,

 

“Well, thank you dear; that would be lovely”

 

He turned to Simon

 

“And…Simon, was it?”

 

“Yes…that’s me” he said in a faintly sarcastic tone

 

A couple of the students snickered

 

Magnus saw a few clearly checking him out

 

 “Ms. Nadim, if you would be so kind as to help me get set up for today’s lesson” She nods cheerfully, beginning going through the lesson plan.

 

 He turns to Simon

 

“And if you would be so kind as to take your seat and stop distracting the other students.”

 

He rolled his eyes slightly, but moved to one of the two empty seats, this one was right next to Max and his friends. Magnus snickered a bit as he caught a few more checking Simon out as he walked by.

 

_Oh, this might actually be rather fun…_

****

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_**It was NOT fun…** _

 

Whatever actual teachers got paid it was nowhere near enough. Magnus finally got a break from his class during 4th period, when he finally had one free…He made his way to the teachers’ lounge, grabbing a soda from the machine and pretty much collapsing into one of the chairs. He hadn’t had any time to investigate; he barely had time to catch his breath…

 

_It was like being a zoo keeper!_

 

 At least first period he had Max and Simon and Divya, she was also coming back to help for 5th as she was  free then too, but other than that, it was just him and 30 random teenagers.

 

Two more classes then he was out…

 

_For today_

 

Then tomorrow he had to go over all of it once more. At least then he’d have most of the Q&A stuff out of the way, he could just recite Ventura’s lesson plan and let them go…He closed his eyes for just a second.

 

 “So, you’re the sub the whole school is buzzing about, huh?”

 

Magnus looked over to where the voice came from

 

 A fairly attractive man was standing there, leaning against the fridge.  He looks like he could be former military, definitely serious enough for it in any case. Short, clean cut brown hair, Grayish blue eyes, medium deep olive complexion.

 

Tall, about Alec’s height, maybe an inch shorter… All in all he was fairly attractive.

 

 _Or,_ _at least he would be_ , _if he didn’t look so condescending_

 

“Yes, I suppose; Magnus Bane, nice to meet you Mr…?”

 

“Marcus Cobb, Coach Cobb usually. I coach the football team, I also teach English.”

 

 “Ah, a renaissance man, that is quite admirable.” Magnus says with his most charming smile

 

“Uh huh…” he says, clearly trying to keep from rolling his eyes

 

_Well then…_

 

“So, the students seem to really like you, but you _DO_ know that this is just a temporary job, right? Anth- er, I mean, Mr. Ventura will be coming back in a week or two at most.” he says, crossing his, admittedly rather impressive, arms and giving Magnus a slightly raised eyebrow.

 

_Oh…that was it_

 

 _He thought Magnus was trying to take Ventura’s job while he was laid up…_ _At least that explained the hostility_.

 

Magnus nodded, smiling

 

 _“_ Yes, I know. I am so relieved he will be okay. The accident was terrible, Anthony was quite lucky he wasn’t hurt worse; he is doing much better though, said he should be up and moving in a day or so. Though they won’t let him out of the hospital no earlier than Wednesday.”

 

Cobb froze slightly

 

“So, you went to visit him, you _know_ him?”

 

Magnus nodded quickly,

 

“Oh, yes, he’s a dear friend…I actually haven’t taught in a while but I knew how worried he was about his class, you know how fussy he can be about that, so I offered to fill in for the week so it would stay as close to his lessons as possible.

 

I really am no threat to him, it is nice that the students like me, but, honestly, as soon as he is ready to return I will be out of here as fast as humanly possible…I think I remember now why I haven’t been teaching.” he said rolling his eyes faintly

 

Magnus glanced back at him

_Oh…oops_

 

“Oh, that, uh, that’s good, I just wanted to make sure you knew, that’s all.” he said, rather shortly, before turning and leaving, rather abruptly

 

“I know a bit more then you think, dear” Magnus muttered to himself

 

 So, along with sheer happenstance, angry students and parents, a random prankster with a _**really**_ dark sense of humor, and just your random crazy, maybe they should add unrequited crush to the list of possible motives as well…

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> ** With Simon's outfit, Did anyone catch that it's the shirt he was wearing in the Fashion Police story? Where Raphael saw him for the first time out of uniform (I couldn't resist) **
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> Divya will be in as well quite a bit more, I really like her character; I really liked her and couldn’t wait to bring her back
> 
> I had intended to introduce more staff, but got too caught up on the class, so it got shortened a bit
> 
>  
> 
> With the Billie character I will probably be shifting between pronouns, but you guys are smart enough to keep it straight ( _Pun, intended_ )
> 
> The characters Name is Billie Beauregard, or Beau, for short
> 
> I chose the name Billie, because it is usually a guy’s name, but with this spelling it is the feminized version, I kind of thought that was a good idea for this type of character
> 
> I chose the full name because 1. I really like the meanings and I think it’s going to fit the character really well and, 2. I think the name **_Billie Beau_** is quite possibly the cutest name I have ever heard
> 
> ** Name Game: **
> 
> **Billie:** Will to Protect
> 
>  **Beauregard (Beau):** Beautiful Person
> 
> **Marcus: Rendered of Mars; Warlike**
> 
> **Cobb: A well Built Man**
> 
>  
> 
> _Anyways, what do you think so far?_


	7. Chapter 7- Lunch Breaks and Law Breakers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael looks into the case while most of the other's are at school  
> Magnus and Simon meet with the teens, trying to piece together all the information they have  
> Notes:  
> Would you believe this is the only chapter with Raphael's perspective?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****  
>  _Would you believe this is the only chapter with Raphael’s perspective?_   
> 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Raphael-Raphael-Raphael-Raphael-Raphael

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

The bell chimes above the front door, behind the counter the guy didn't even glance up, chattering away into the store phone on the counter.

 

He was slightly taller than Raphael with somewhat unkempt blondish brown hair; he was yammering on animatedly about some baseball game or the other. His back was turned towards the door, sorting through a bin of fuses, putting them back into their correct holders.

 

Raphael leaned against the counter; waiting for him to turn and acknowledge him. He cleared his throat. The guy waved vaguely, signaling for him to wait…

 

 _Seriously?_  


Raphael gives a loud, annoyed sigh, and _still_ he kept ignoring him, just yammering away. Raphael calmly reached over, clicking the button on the phone,

 

"-yeah double inning, unbelievable game and I...hello? _Hello_? _Dan?_ What the hell?”

 

He looked towards the phone; Raphael still had his finger on the hang up button.

 

" ** _Hey!_** What the hell do you thin... _Uh_..." he looked up, and sort of froze. He had brown eyes and a rather vacant expression

 

Raphael gave a sharp smile

 

"So sorry to interrupt, but, as _fascinating_ as your conversation with ‘Dan’ was, I rather need your attention for a moment, and it really couldn't wait."

 

He fumbled hanging up the phone, still staring dumbfounded.

 

_We’ll this should be easy enough, though he usually preferred at least a bit of a challenge_

 

"H-Hi..."

 

Raphael tilted his head, giving a sarcastic, rather sharp smile

 

"Hi, so nice of you to _actually **acknowledge**_ a customer."

 

The guy flushed brightly

 

"Uh...S-sorry...I, wha-, what’d you need?”

 

Raphael switched seamlessly to a somewhat flirty smirk, leaning further against the counter.

 

"Well, I'm afraid I have a bit of a problem, I was hoping you could give me a hand?"

 

"Okay" he said, nodding _way_ too eagerly,

 

Raphael just barely managed to stop the eye roll

  


"So, uh...what can I do for you?"

  


Raphael glances down at his name tag

 

"Thank you, _Wayne_ , is it?"

 

Wayne nods slowly

 

Raphael gives him a, completely phony, smile. He reaches over, taking Wayne's hand to shake; holding on for a few moments longer than necessary.

 

Wayne flushes brightly

 

"Wayne, nice to meet you, my name is Raphael."

 

"H-hi, Raphael... nice to meet you, too."  


  
"So, umm... what did you need help with?"

 

"Well, I'm here on behalf of Enigmatic Investigations; our agency was employed to investigate an alleged accident."

 

He looks confused...

 

_Probably too many big words_

 

"Umm…What's that, the agency?"

 

Raphael tilted his head, shrugging carelessly,

 

"Hmm? Oh, it's a Detective agency that utilizes somewhat unconventional resources in order to evaluate and decipher crimes and mysteries; particularly those that seem to be of an unconventional nature.

 

In addition to freelance work we are also on retainer with the SBPD, occasionally working tangentially with them on cases."

 

_Okay, so that one he did on purpose..._

 

Wayne had a glazed over, bewildered expression, and his left eye was twitching slightly.

 

_Maybe he should stop before the guy hurts himself_

 

"It is a psychic detective agency."

 

" ** _Oh_** _!_ That's cool...uh...so, are you, like, a psychic, or something?"

 

"Or something" Raphael says with a rather enigmatic smirk

 

Wayne nods rapidly, still looking slightly confused

 

_At least his eye wasn't twitching anymore,_

 

"So...About the case?"

 

"Oh, yeah; what can I do to help?"

 

"Well, our client was injured in an accident...At least that is what the initial report was. However more evidence has come to light and we are looking into the possibility that it was actually an attempt on the man's life."

 

Wayne's eyes went wide

 

" ** _Whoa_** , really? So, this is an actual almost murder type case?"

 

"Yes, exactly."

 

"Wow, I've never been involved in a real investigation before, I'll help, whatever you need!" he said, somewhat excitedly

 

"Thank you, Wayne; the case may actually depend entirely on you."

 

"Really? _Awesome_...What can I do?" he asked eagerly

 

"You have a key piece of evidence in your garage. It is Anthony Ventura's accident that we are looking into. You have his vehicle, correct?"

 

He nods again

 

"Yeah, it's in the shop; haven't really had a chance to look at it too much though...the dudes gonna be in the hospital for another week at least, figured no rush. Guy said he'd been meaning to get the breaks worked on for months...seemed pretty obvious what the problem was."

 

Raphael shrugged slightly,

 

"Well, it may have _seemed_ like that, but now it's not as certain...Wayne, you **_can_** tell the difference between normal wear and tear and sabotage, _right_?"

 

"Yeah, totally, no problem" he said confidently,

 

Wayne just stood there for a moment...

 

Raphael raised his eyebrow

 

" _Oh_! You mean, like, right now?"

 

" _Yes_ , Wayne; now would be good" Raphael said, trying to keep as much of the patronizing tone as he could out of his voice,

 

"Okay, I'll just go check, back in a sec" He said, turning

 

Raphael reached forward quickly, catching his arm

 

" _Uh_...Hey, you know, how about I come with you? It would be much easier for me to explain to my employer the results if I actually see for myself. Besides it would give us a chance to talk more...I actually find this kind of work quite fascinating... _unless_ , of course, I'm bothering you?”

 

" _NO, no not at all!_ Stay as long as you like! I-I can go through the whole thing with you!"

  
Raphael smiled

 

"Great, shall we begin?"

 

Wayne nodded, beaming

 

"You know it really _is_ interesting...a lot of people don't get that, _see_ what people don't get about it is that..."

 

Raphael plastered on a, totally fake, interested smile, **_really_** hoping this turned out to be an actual attempt on the man's life, as at least that would make a _'lecture on the art of car repair'_ worth it...

 

_Maybe…_

 

"And that isn't even getting into the process of detailing a car because then you have to..."

 

_You know...It was just **attempted** murder..._

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_"Hey Simon, wait up!"_

 

He turned around, seeing Max and his friends rushing to catch up with him. A group of girls passing by waived at him, he waived back absently. A couple of them giggled.

 

He wondered what the joke was.

 

"So, how’s it going so far?" Max asked as they caught up,

 

"Well, I'm actually going to Magnus's classroom so we can discuss it" he said quietly  


They perked up;

 

"Can we come, too?"

 

Simon hesitated for a moment as a group of students passed by. He opened the door to the E Building, where Magnus's classroom was, just as a couple guys were on their way out, Simon waited, holding the door for the group.

 

"Thanks" A blond guy he vaguely recognized from in Magnus’s  class, Jason or Jack or something like that, said with a kind of cocky smile that vaguely reminded him of Jace, slowing down a bit

 

"No problem" Simon said absently, turning to Max

 

"We can't really talk about it here... but, yeah"

 

He glanced up, _J-something or other_ , was still standing there, Simon raised his eyebrow slightly

 

" _Uh_...dude, weren't you going out? Just, my arms getting kinda tired ..."

 

The guy laughed like Simon's made some great joke.

 

"Yeah, I was just going to see if you wanted to join us for lunch, figured you could use some help finding your way around campus?" he smiled again

 

"Oh, uh, thanks, that's nice of you, but I actually already have plans for lunch...And we're kinda running late, so...thanks anyway...Jason?"

 

"Jackson"

 

Simon nodded quickly, giving a faintly apologetic shrug,

 

"Oh, yeah, sorry, lot of new names today, _anyway_ , I gotta go, see you in class" He finished, closing the glass door.

 

Jackson just stands there, looking totally shocked, before he turns and heads back to his friends. Max and the others snicker as they make their way to the room.

 

As the last bell for lunch rings Simon and the teens slip into the classroom. Divya was going to meet up with him and Magnus as well to discuss their findings and go over everything they should be on the lookout for.

 

He was the first to arrive, well except Magnus, of course, but it was actually his class. He was sitting in the chair, resting his head on his arms. Simon had never seen him so subdued, he kind of wondered if something bad had happened.

 

"Uh, Magnus, dude? You alright?"

 

He seemed to startle slightly, sitting up, brushing his hair back, shaking his head faintly,

 

" _Good lord,_ I had no idea this would be so _**exhausting**_...I will take murderers, psychopaths, and criminals over an entire class of teenagers any day."

 

Isaac, Max and Kasey snicker a bit. Magnus gives them a smile; he’d figured they’d show up sometime today.

 

Simon laughs, nodding

 

" ** _Right!?_** How do you think I feel? I'm actually supposed to _be_ one of them! At least you’re a teacher, an authority figure. They're automatically going to at least on the surface be respectful, for the most part anyways.

 

I’ve had _three_ guys purposefully knock my glasses off, one trip me, and _**four**_ get all defensive cause they thought I was trying to steal their girlfriends!"

 

"Eh, don't worry, they’re probably just mad because their girlfriends were checking you out" Divya said from the door

 

He rolled his eyes,

 

" _Ha_ , real funny"

 

She raised her eyebrow slightly

 

"Uh, Simon? You _DO_ realize people have been checking you out, _like_ , all day?

 

Right?"

 

" _ **What**_ _?! No they haven't!"_

 

Kasey laughed

 

"Dude, _yeah_ __they have__! Jen dropped her phone when you came into 3rd period, Aiden blushed when he asked you if you needed help to catch up with Mr.Ventura's class, and _freaking_ _**Jackson**_ just invited you to lunch and offered to show you around the school!

 

 _How are you not seeing it_?!"

 

Simon shook his head uncomprehendingly, gesturing animatedly,

 

"Why would I notice? _They're teenagers!_ "

 

"Who think you are ALSO a teenager" Magnus helpfully supplied, in between chuckles

 

“And a _hot_ one at that” Divya added with a teasing wink

 

Simon blushed, confused

 

"I just thought Jackson was really helpful!"

 

Divya laughed loudly, putting her arm around his shoulder, and patting him sympathetically

 

"Oh, my god, Simon, you are adorable! Jackson is a _**total**_ jackass...he’s one of the most obnoxious guys I have ever met, if he’s being nice, it's cause he thinks you're hot."

 

" _Really?" he asked, shocked_

 

"Really. Don't worry, though, I'll protect you" She says with a grin

 

"Yes, Divya, I fear the poor boy may need it... seems you are quite the teenage heartthrob, darling" Magnus teased

 

 _"I-bu-wha-h-tha- Well...how the_ **hell** _did that happen!?"_ Simon snapped, utterly baffled

 

The entire room erupted in laughter

 

He shook his head at the absurdity of it,

 

" _Seriously_ , when I was in high school the only people who noticed me were the ones picking on me. Now I am undercover, something that means I totally _**don't**_ _want to call attention to myself and_ **now** _everyone decides to take notice,_

__

_Really_ _?!"_

 

The others just laughed even more, clearly they were no help,

  
"Simon? Are you sure they _didn't_ notice you? Maybe you just didn't _realize_ it." Max suggested raising an eyebrow

 

He huffed, shaking his head quickly,

 

"No, th-that's not, I mean...I think I'd know...I-um...I'd _totally_...I wouldn't of had a clue, would I?" he glanced around the room

 

Max, Casey, and Magnus were nodding in agreement, Isaac looked like he was trying not too...Divya was laughing too hard to really contribute anything to his newfound epiphany.

 

" _ **So**_ , __about the case_ "_ he started, rather desperately

 

Magnus chuckled, shaking his head

 

"Well, I’m afraid I haven't been able to make any real progress as of yet; though I do want to look closer at the football coach...he seemed a bit preoccupied with Mr. Ventura, but that is as far as I've got. 

 

I've _barely_ been able to catch my breath; _you teenagers are_ **exhausting** " he said, mock glaring at them, before pausing

 

"Oh, by the way, Divya, these are the young men who originally brought the case to our attention... Max, Isaac and Kasey, Boys this is Divya Nadim."

 

She grinned, waving a bit "Yeah, hey, seen you guys around, nice to put names to the faces."

 

"Same here. So how did you find out about the case?" Max asked, curiously

 

She gave a slightly dismissive shrug,

 

"Oh well, a few months ago Simon here kind of saved me and my brother's life, I saw him in the office and principal Sullivan was about two steps away from calling the police and having him taken in, either for being a suspicious person or for a psych evaluation...I couldn't tell, but neither seemed really good. Figured I owed him, so I gave him a hand" She said with a smirk, winking at Simon

 

Simon laughed, nodding

 

"Yeah, man, she _totally_ saved me; that guy SO wasn't buying it, and I'd never hear the end of it if I got hauled in as a suspicious person _in my_ **own** _precinct_ _._..she was pretty awesome."

 

She shrugged, smirking,

 

"Well, I do try"

 

Magnus laughed, shaking his head slightly,

 

"Anyways, now that we have the introductions done; and, _apparently_ , currently have an _entire_ **troop** _of investigators in training_ _,_ I think we need to set some ground rules:

  
I do understand that this case is important to you guys, and, honestly, I never thought for a moment we would be able to keep you out of it, but you guys _really_ must be careful.

  
Do not discuss the case outside of this room.

 

I can’t stress this enough; you really cannot be too careful. We will keep you in the loop and updated...but I do not want any of you investigating on your own, this is a serious matter and I really don't want any of you putting yourselves in harm's way.

 

Looking up information or the like is one thing, but if you suspect _absolutely anything_ you must immediately find either me or Simon, no matter how insignificant something may seem, if there IS someone behind this, we cannot attract any undue attention, least of all to you."

 

Divya looks somewhat guilty

 

" _Umm_...you _**did**_ say looking up information was okay, right?"

 

Magnus raised an eyebrow

 

" _Yes_...though it would require a fair amount of discretion. I assume you’ve already begun?"

 

She nodded slightly, reaching into her messenger bag, pulling out a folder, and thumbing through it,

 

"I went through the records in the office; I help with filing all the time so they really don't think anything of me being in the records room. I looked into Mr. Ventura's file, made copies of anything that might be relevant to the case, especially anyone with possible grudges.

 

There are quite a few of the popular athletes that had grudges against Ventura, filing baseless complaints against him; they all just boil down to them being mad that he won't give them breaks on grades.

 

Last year he got a student expelled because he tried to bribe Mr. Ventura into changing his grades and he reported it to the school board...

  
It actually got out that the student and his parents had done that with a few other teachers as well... only _successfully_. Two teachers were fired because of it, and the parents were heavily fined.

 

Also, he has reported quite a few students for plagiarism, which is cause for suspension and results in a note in their academic records that doesn't go away...Makes getting into colleges nearly impossible."

 

She paused, glancing up at the others

 

They're staring at her in shock, she quirks her eyebrow, shrugging slightly,

 

"What? I ducked out of Gym class... told them it was a girl thing; they never ask any questions after that. Figured this would be slightly more useful today than rope climbing."

 

Magnus smiled, rather impressed,

 

 "Very good darling, this will help immensely...just don't do much more then this without either me or Simon around for support. As I said, if someone is behind this they will be watching for anything suspicious, and that goes for all of you, _clear_?"

 

All four of the teenagers nod seriously,

 

Simon moved forward,

 

"Actually, it's no longer an _'if'_ someone is behind this ...Raphael texted from the mechanics; the guy checked the breaks, and the damage was unquestionably intentional.” He paused, glancing around the room,

 

“So we do know the car was sabotaged, but that’s about all we have so far. All we’re sure of so far is that someone at least wanted to injure Ventura, though probably far worse; and the most we can narrow a suspect down to is someone in all likelihood somehow connected to the school…And that’s about it, right?” Simon asks the room

 

Magnus and Divya nod. The boys look pretty nervous. Divya gives all of them a reassuring smile before focusing on Max.

 

"Hey guys, _it'll be okay_ _..._ Max, it was a really good idea going to your brother with this. These guys, _yeah_ , they seem like a bizarre assortment- I met Simon when he was taken hostage by a crazy bank robber who'd also kidnapped me. I met Magnus, Alec and Raphael when they came to rescue us... _Even though we_ **totally** _had it covered_ _._

 

For a bit there I kind of wondered if I was safer with the kidnappers, as that almost seemed saner than a rescue party consisting of a psychic, a junior detective, and a pharmaceutical rep, But they were amazing. They solved that, and saved my life, as well as my brothers.

 

  
If they can handle that? This will be a piece of cake"

 

They looked a little more relieved

 

Simon breathed a sigh of relieve, giving her a grateful smile

 

"Thanks"

 

Divya grinned, casually slinging her arm around Simon’s shoulder,

 

 "No problem... though, I still think you guys should've let me throw the sleeping gas grenade...I'm sure I have a _way_ better arm then his brother."

 

Magnus and Simon chuckled a bit. The boys look amazed.

 

"Dude, I have the coolest brother ever!" Max said with a grin

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> ** ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________ **
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> Okay…I’m not really sure about this chapter, I think it’s okay, but I really need to move on
> 
> I really do like my Divya character, and I like Simon being kinda clueless that people are hitting on him…
> 
>  Hope you guys like it…


	8. Chapter 8- The Drama Doesn’t End With High School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ******Chapter Complete*******
> 
> Simon makes even a bigger impression on the students than he has already
> 
> Alec and Magnus Investigate, bond, and get a bit distracted…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's all up now...  
>  I hope you like it as much as i do
> 
> FYI this one kinda probably should've been 2 full chapters but I ran out of space...  
>  I really love it though
> 
>  _My schedule seems to be bouncing between Mornings, Mids and Closings because, **apparently** , anything even remotely resembling consistency or even a pattern would just be too easy_)

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

_So, his working theory is that he either somehow woke up in an alternate universe, or else he actually is still sleeping and this is just a really bizarre dream…_

 

Those really are the only reasons he can think of as to why half the school seemed to be crushing on him.

 

_Like seriously? What the_ **_hell_ ** _?_

 

That was _SO_ not his plan…

 

 I mean, _yeah_ , Raphael’s advice last night did turn out to be really helpful. He’d been worried that it would kind of bring up a lot of his insecurities from when he actually was a high school student, but he quickly realized just how trivial a lot of it was…

 

Someone would make an obnoxious comment, shout a rude name, or give what was _supposed_ to be a condescending or intimidating look/glare/smirk/whatever; things that, when he actually _was_ 16 would of totally worked, leaving him a stuttering, stammering, mess.

 

_But now?_

 

Now he just found himself trying to keep from rolling his eyes or laughing too much… _Really_? That is what he was so worried about? It was a bunch of teenagers, and _yeah_ , he’d prefer it if people liked him, but, really; he was a detective, he dealt with criminals and loudmouth, condescending, bigoted jackasses on a daily basis. He’d had to develop a somewhat thick skin to deal with that.

 

 All the teen drama reminded him a lot of the gossips down at the station, or the jackasses that Raphael had scared into transferring, the ones that no one had paid attention to…That’s when it kind of clicked for him… _No one ever really seemed to noticed him_ ** _anyways_** …he didn’t actually have to try to struggle to fit in or become popular, get ‘in’ with a click or whatever. All he had to do was just blend in and listen for anything about Mr. Ventura, and keep an eye out for anything suspicious.

 

 If it was a student he doubted they’d be able to stay quiet about it…they’d brag to someone, and someone would tell someone else and so on…So, he’d just stay as low key as possible, listen for anything of importance and simply tune out the rest…

 

_It_ **_seemed_ ** _like a pretty solid plan…_

 

 So, now, _of course_ , everyone in the school was paying attention to him.

 

_Awesome…_

 

Once he’d started to actually pay attention, it really was pretty obvious. He’d just been so sure that the only attention he’d get from students would’ve been as a target or joke he really had no clue what to do about them actually, like, being interested in him…

 

_He SO did not see this coming._

 

It kinda creeped him out actually; he really had no idea how to precede. _True_ , someone having a schoolgirl _(Or boy)_ crush might be flattering in general, but he couldn’t very well tell them he was too old for them, and he didn’t want to seem like he was just playing hard to get or leading them on…

 

His current way of dealing with it was willful ignorance, quick subject changes, and trying to really play up his nerdy/chattery/annoying parts in hopes of getting on their nerves and them losing interest…

 

It wasn’t really working so great _(of course, the one time he actually_ ** _wants_** _to annoy people it doesn’t work)_ so his new plan was to just try to fade into the background as much as possible and hope they forget about him.

 

 Judging by the sarcastic look Max was giving him as he explained this he had doubts about its effectiveness

 

 “ _Dude_ , we’re _teenagers_ , not goldfish; they’re not just going to forget they saw you.”

 

Simon gave a frustrated sigh, absently kicking at a stray rock as they continued to make their way to the front of the school after the final bell

 

 “ _Well, I don’t know what else to do!_ I _so_ wasn’t expecting this; I figured I’d be dealing with obnoxious teens whose only interest in me would be as a target or joke, not as like, a _romantic interest_ …It’s weird.”

 

Isaac and Kasey laughed

 

“ _How_ did it not occur to you going into an entire school of hormonal teenagers there might be at least a few that’d be into you?”

 

He gave an aggravated shrug,

 

“ _I don’t know!_ Because I’m me? I’m awkward, and relentlessly energetic and enthusiastic, I talk **_way_** too much and am kind of clumsily and geeky. All of which _I_ am totally okay with, but most others, not so much…No offense, but why would I think a bunch of overly critical teens would overlook all that?”

 

“Uh…maybe cause your kinda totally hot?” Kasey said with an eye roll

 

 Simon froze, looking at him like he just grew a second head

 

_“What?”_

 

The other three looked back at him in confusion

 

“Uh…yeah?”

 

He shook his head quickly,

 

“Umm, _no_. **_Raphael_** is hot, _Magnus_ is hot, Alec too…but me?”

 

“ _Yeah_ …And you”

 

Max laughed, raising his eyebrow,

 

“ _Dude, how do you not know that_ _?_ Like we’ve been saying; people have been checking you out _all day_ …Divya even said as much. You’re kind of a really weird mix of hot, cute and dorky, but it works, like, really well.”

 

Simon just stared uncomprehendingly

 

  _Okay, so alternate universe was seeming more and more likely_

 

“Man, this is so bizarre…

 

Okay fine, _whatever_ , apparently I’m suddenly irresistible to people between the ages of 15 and 17, _cause that’s not disturbing as hell or anything_ … Do you guys have any idea’s how to, like, stop it?”

 

He looks at them one by one, they all just kind of shrug

 

He rolled his eyes, giving them a sarcastic smile,

 

 “ **Great** , _thanks_ ; I think I just need to stick with the teenage/goldfish plan type thing… I’ll just try to be as unassuming and unremarkable as possible and hope they lose interest or forget I’m there.”

 

Kasey snorts a bit at that, rolling his eyes “Yeah, good luck with that”

 

Max laughs slightly; Isaac gives him a bit of a sympathetic look. Simon just shakes his head at the sheer absurdity of the whole thing.

 

“Man, never thought I’d see the day I would actually be _trying_ to get people to ignore me…” he muttered

 

 Max shrugs slightly, grinning, “Well, if it he-”

 

He’s cut off by a bit of a ruckus coming from nearby,

 

 _“Damnit, Brock, just give it back! You’re going to break something!”_ A very upset, anxious voice shouted

 

They moved quickly over towards the sounds.

 

A rather large, beefy guy in a football jersey was laughing, holding a brightly colored backpack up above his head, well out of reach of a much smaller student, the one that’d been shouting.

 

Simons first thought was the guy seemed like the stereotypical meathead jock bully from every high school movie he could think of. He was a good inch or so over six foot and looked fairly strong; he had short, dark, crew cut type brown hair and a rather nasty, hateful, arrogant expression on his face.

 

He was laughing as the smaller student got more and more agitated

 

 The kid he was tormenting was just a bit over five feet, with brightly colored blue and pink hair and a bright purple shirt. Simon vaguely recognized the student from his first class…They sat about two desks over from Simon.

 

 _Billie_ ; _that was their name…_

 

 The poor kid looked completely frustrated and nearly on the verge of tears. There was no way he could ignore this…

 

_Well, so much for the whole, hope they forget they saw him plan…_

 

“ ** _Hey_** , what the hell are you doing?” Simon demanded stepping closer, moving to stand next to the smaller student

 

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly, glancing over at them

 

They shook their head agitatedly “ _No_! He won’t give me my bag back and I have my phone, camera and a bunch of other things that are expensive and breakable and he is going to end up smashing them!”

 

Simon sighed, shaking his head,

 

“Dude, just give the bag back” Simon said tersely

 

 “ _Aww_ …what your boyfriend’s gonna protect you? Little freak” Brock practically spits, giving a look of total disgust

 

Simon rolls his eyes

 

“Right, because, _obviously_ the only reason anyone would care that a loudmouth, bigoted jackass is tormenting, _and verging on physically threatening_ someone, especially someone that is like, a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter than them, is because they must have some ulterior motive… It couldn’t just be because it’s the right thing to do or anything.”

 

He laughed, kind of cruelly

 

“Yeah, guess that was kind of farfetched, someone actually wanting to date whatever **_that_** is…”

 

Simon glared, shaking his head

 

 _“_ _What is wrong with you?_ How can you be this much of an ignorant jackass? _No_ , I’m not dating them… but there is nothing wrong with them… _Hell_ , they’re smart, cute, a good person and comfortable enough with who they are to actually _be themselves in high school_ -

 

Meanwhile you’re an ignorant, obnoxious jackass who, _what_? Thinks picking on someone half your size somehow makes you seem tough or ‘manlier’? I’ll tell you one thing; they have it way more together then you; that’s for _damn_ sure.”

 

He’d stepped closer as he was talking, putting himself between the two, moving closer to the bag that Brock was now rather loosely holding, looking somewhere between shocked and furious. Simon reaches forward quickly, grabbing the strap of the backpack and snatches it out of Brocks hand; he passes it back to Billie, who grabs it quickly holding it close so as not to lose it again.

 

Kasey, Isaac and Max quickly move around Billie, Max placing his hand on their shoulder reassuringly.

 

“You okay?” Isaac asks softly

 

Billie nods slightly, looking relieved

 

“Hey!” He tries to grab it back, but Simon steps back in his path, blocking the younger boys 

 

Brock glares

 

By now they’ve attracted a bit of a crowd.

 

 “ _Oh_ , no wonder, you must be gay too, you guys do tend to stick together…” he snarls, glancing from Simon to Kasey, Isaac and Max

 

Simon vaguely recognized a few of the guys in the crowd of onlookers as one’s that hit on him ( _now that he knows what he’s watching for_ ). Two have on football jerseys like Brocks, _they look_ ** _pissed_** _._

 

He wonders if Brock is really so dense that he hasn’t realized so many of his classmates aren’t straight.

 

Simon gives a dismissive shrug,

 

“No I’m not… actually, I’m pan.”

 

“Huh?”

 

 He rolls his eyes, giving a look that he _absolutely_ picked up from Raphael,

 

“Google it, here’s a hint; it has nothing to do with cookware.”

 

Now the guy looks like he is really trying to still be menacing, but is just totally confused. Simon doesn’t quite keep in the laugh this time…Brock glares more, it’s just pathetic.

 

 Simon shakes his head

 

“Dude, stop trying to be intimidating, it’s embarrassing. My boyfriend is WAY better at it than you. _Hell,_ I am…what you are doing is just _pathetic_.”

 

Simon turns, starting to leave

 

“Hey! Come back here” he grabs Simons arm, trying to stop him

 

Simon turns back to him, dead calm

 

“Let go. And back off.”

 

Brock freezes, slowly letting go and takes a few steps back.

 

“Is anything wrong here?” a smooth, tantalizing, _extremely_ familiar voice asks.

 

The entire crowd turns to see the speaker. Raphael’s leaning nonchalantly against the building; he pushes off and practically stalks closer

 

Simon can’t stop a smile…

 

 He is dressed casually, well, _Raphael_ casual;

 

 _Obscenely_ expensive jeans and an equally high quality black fitted short sleeve shirt that is extremely flattering and make his arms unbelievably distracting…and everything else, really. Simon looks him over appreciatively, as do most of the onlookers.

 

He hears a few mummers and at least one low whistle

 

 Simon shrugs slightly, moving closer,

 

“Eh, no, just a bit of high school drama, nothing I can’t handle. This is a nice surprise.”

 

Raphael smirks, raising his eyebrow a bit

 

 “So I saw…I took off work early, figured I’d pick you up.”

 

Simon grins slipping his arm around Raphael

 

“Well, aren’t you sweet?”

 

Simon reaches over, catching his arm, pulling him into a slow, deep kiss, before pulling away, just a bit. He turns to Max and his friends,

 

“Hey guys; so, I’m not going to make it to the studying thing tonight, see you all tomorrow.”

 

With that he turns, takes Raphaels hand and heads back towards Raphael’s car. The rest of the students stand there in shock.

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Alec is sitting at his desk, combing over files and social media looking into Mr. Ventura’s history, as he has been for the past six hours, seeing if anything stands out…

 

It is a total dead end;

 

Also, Mr. Ventura is, _quite possibly_ , the most boring person on the planet…

 

 _Seriously_ …

 

He actually had to duck out about an hour ago to get a very strong coffee just to keep himself from falling asleep researching the guy…

 

He’s single; he has a dog and a pet bird,

 

He’s in four book clubs

 

He’s a member of the Santa Barbra Audubon Society   

 

He’s the president and founding member of a bird watching club

 

He has a vlog all about exotic, gourmet coffee and bird watching ( _over 5 hours worth_ ….Alec watched it all in case it was in anyway relevant _\- it was not_ and he will never get that time back)

 

He’s been a science teacher for the past fifteen years, at the same school. He is the middle child of six and has three sisters and two brothers and a few nieces and nephews. The guy doesn’t have so much as a parking ticket.

 

_He makes_ **_Alec_ ** _look like an impulsive, reckless, daredevil_

 

 Try as he might, Alec just could not find anything about the man that would lead anyone to murder _(well, unless he cornered them with his lectures on coffee and the top 10 rarest birds of Southern California…again_ ** _FIVE_** _hours he’ll never get back)_

 

He’s just about to call it a day and head for home when his phone beeps, signaling a text. He yawns slightly, grabbing his coffee to take a sip as he reaches for his phone. He scans the text, then very nearly spits out the coffee…

 

_Magnus: Hello, my darling detective, so…do you have any plans for the evening ;-)_

 

_Just stop it…He doesn’t mean it like that_

 

He takes a deep breath, centering himself and trying to stem his blushing before someone notices it

 

_Really, what is wrong with him? It’s not even like he said something risqué or anything_

 

Heaven help him if he ever does…

 

_Well…that didn’t help the blushing at all_

 

 He rolls his eyes slightly at himself before picking up his phone

 

_Alec: No, I’m free…did you find something?_

_Magnus: Maybe I just want to spend the evening with my favorite detective…_

 

 

He blushes more

 

_Alec:…Uh huh…So you did find something_

 

_Magnus: Sigh…fine, spoil my fun… Not exactly; just something that may prove interesting…I was wondering if you’re up for a bit of an outing this evening. It could be quite enlightening…Maybe we can grab some dinner too_

_It is not a date…It is not a date…It is work…It is_ **_NOT_ ** _a date_

 

_Alec: Sure, why not? You want me to meet you somewhere or what?_

_Magnus: I just now got out of the school.  Hadn’t had a chance to look around till the students left…Teenagers are absolutely exhausting! This level of exhaustion is only acceptable if it is the result of something pleasurable; before I do anything else I want to go home and have a very long, very hot shower. How about you come by my place about 7?_

_……_

_…._

_…_

_.._

_._

_Magnus: Alexander, Darling…Are you there?_

_Alec: yeah 7’s fine_

 

“Detective Lightwood? Are you okay?” a younger officer passing by his desk stops and asks, somewhat concerned

 

He nods quickly,

“Yeah, Officer Anderson, fine… coffee just went down wrong” he says hastily, clearing his throat and trying to cover his face slightly.

 

The officer nods, continuing on.

 

Alec restarts the coffee/bird vlog in hopes the boredom will clear his mind and hopefully get his face to a color that _isn’t_ a possible sign of a medical emergency.

 

“Detective Ligh-”

 

_“I’m fine!”_

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

 “A stake out? Really?” Alec asked quizzically as Magnus climbed into the car…

 

Magnus nods somewhat excitedly,

 

“Yes, it is my very first one; I really am quite excited. I think it will go rather well. I don’t know for sure if Coach Cobb is involved, but he was definitely quite fixated on Ventura and overly protective… I heard him on the phone planning something but I only got a few details.

 

If he is NOT involved he may be rather beneficial to the case, as it would be good to get information from someone who has actually most likely been paying attention to peoples’ interaction with Ventura.  However, if he is the culprit, then we’ll, he is integral to the case as well, just in a completely different way…”

 

He settles into the car, placing a rather large bag on the seat next to him. Alec glanced over at the bag curiously, raising his eyebrow.

 

“What all do you have there, by the way?”

 

Magnus grins slightly, eyes bright,

 

“Oh, this and that…Henry always would grumble about how tedious stakeouts could be and I do tend to get quite antsy when I sit for too long, so I thought I’d try to be as prepared as possible…

 

I have snacks and updated my favorite playlists on my phone, and downloaded a few new puzzle games. In addition I have a thermos of coffee, a few puzzle books, a parabolic mic, camera with a zoom lens, and a few different magazines.

 

Also, I just had them deliver dinner here. I got your favorite from that sandwich place around the corner; figured it would be easy enough to eat in the car. I think I got everything” he glanced up at Alec, grinning cheerfully

 

 Alec was staring at him half in shock and half in amusement. He shook his head, chuckling faintly.

 

 Magnus looked delighted

 

_“What?”_

 “Did you really just casually throw in the fact that you have a parabolic mic in between puzzle books and magazines?”

 

Magnus grinned

 

 

“You caught that, huh?”

 

“Yeah, I caught it”

 

 Magnus chuckled, giving a faint shrug,

 

“Well, I thought it would come in handy. I’ve had it for years…Henry got it for me when they got newer ones for the station and scrapped these, It works perfectly though. Now let’s go; Cobb said he was going somewhere about 8, if he leaves before we get there, we’ll be lost.”

 

Alec laughed slightly, as he pulled away from the apartment building, glancing at the directions he’d texted to Cobbs place.

 

_Well, if anything this should be interesting…_

 

##  _2 hours later…_

 

“ _Will you stop fidgeting?!”_

 

“I’m sorry! This is _boring_ , and I’m not used to sitting still this long!”

 

“So, do another puzzle or something”

 

“I finished the last book, half an hour ago”

 

“What about your phone?”

 

Magnus huffed, shrugging, shaking his head slightly,

 

“I accidently clicked some automated update thing…it’s only at like 20% and if I shut it down it’ll lose most of my information.”

 

 Alec rolled his eyes

 

They’d followed Cobb from his house to a few stops; a bookstore, a grocery, and a few other inconsequential places. At this point Alec was pretty sure they were just following the man as he ran errands.

 

“I can’t believe you dragged me along for this.” he grumbled

 

“ _Hey_ , you did tell me to keep you informed of any and all developments and not to do anything more than observe.”

 

 _“_ I know, _I know”_ Alec sighed

 

Magnus turns a bit in his seat, pointing at Alec,

 

“ _And,_ if I would have gone without you, you know very well that you would have completely overreacted.”

 

Alec begun shaking his head,

 

“I would not overreact…”

 

 “ _Oh, yes you_ ** _would_** _;_ you would do that thing where you start to go over all the different ways it could have went bad and all the worse case scenarios and you would tell me that I need to be more careful and that I should of told you-”

 

“ _That isn’t an overreaction!_ That’s just being sensible; knowing all the possibilities so you can plan accordingly.”

 

“No, darling; that is being a pessimist”

 

“That is not pessimistic; it’s just being a realist!”

 

Magnus gasped, gesturing animatedly,

 

“ _Oh my god!_ _You sound like Raphael!_ He says that all the time! Now wonder why you guys get along.”

 

“I knew there was a reason I liked him.”  Alec muttered

 

Magnus rolled his eyes faintly, giving a huffing, exasperated sigh,

 

“Honestly, how do I end up so attached to people who _look_ like gorgeous young men but are, in actuality, cantankerous old men, trapped in a much younger body?”

 

Alec raised his eyebrow,

 

“As opposed to someone who _looks_ like an adult but is, in actuality, an exasperating, hyperactive teenager?”

 

“Hey! I _so_ am not!” Magnus snaps, in a tone so like Max and his friends that Alec couldn’t quite keep in the laugh.

 

Magnus tried to glare, but Alec could see he heard it, too. They both just started laughing uncontrollably, Magnus covering his eyes, shaking his head hoplessly.

 

“ _Oh my god!_ I’ve been in that school a day and I am turning into one of them…”

 

Alec was the first to get a hold of himself, smirking, still snickering slightly “M-Maybe Simon should have went under as the teacher and you should have been the student.”

 

_“Whatever”_

Alec starts laughing again, raising his eyebrow

 

 “That _was_ intentional, right?”

 

“ _I don’t even know anymore_ ” Magnus groaned shaking his head, he leaned back against the headrest.

 

##  **_ 1hour later…  _ **

 

They’d tailed Cobb to a few more places…at this point Alec really didn’t think it was going to pan out into anything, he thought Magnus was in agreement too, but neither of them were in that big of a hurry for the evening to end…After the initial annoyance around hour two they’d settled into just chatting to pass the time, It was really quite nice.

 

He’d never actually got the opportunity to just sit with Magnus and talk. He glanced over with a curious smile,

 

 “So, I have to ask, why did your dad give you a parabolic mic? I wouldn’t really think a hardnosed cop would be encouraging his kid to spy on people…”

 

Magnus laughed, rolling his eyes

 

“Oh, it was all part of Henrys plan; he taught me all the equipment, procedures, everything he could think of that I might need to know for the academy.”

 

Alec stared in shock

 

“Y-you went to police training?”

 

_That would actually explain a lot_

 

Magnus shook his head

 

“No…well, not officially anyways. Though, I’m pretty sure my dad’s lessons where a fair bit more difficult than the ones actually taught to perspective officers; and the police academy is only about six months, my dad started training me when I was about seven and never stopped until I moved out, so…”

 

Alec looked more than a bit aggravated

 

“Why would he do that?”

 

Magnus gave a slightly dismissive wave,

 

“Oh, he just knew I was going to become a detective as well, be just like him”

 

“Well, that’s selfish, trying to force his kid to follow in his footsteps”

 

 Magnus shook his head,

 

“No, it wasn’t like what you’re thinking, not _totally_ anyways. I wanted to as well; It was one of the few things we had in common. It was actually what I wanted to do for the first half of my life. I’d told him as much, many times in fact.

 

 He thought I had potential, that was why he pushed me so hard with the training, he wanted to make sure I was ready. I had every intention of following through with it; at least I _did_ , up until about high school.”

 

Alec looked curiously, leaning closer

 

“What changed?”

 

Magnus smiled kind of sadly, giving a faint shrug, running his fingers through his hair,

 

“Me?”

 

Alec tilted his head in confusion,

 

“What do you mean?”

 

He sighed shaking his head, “I just, I started to really find myself, who I truly was… and more and more I realize that who _I_ was just did not fit with what people expected of a cop. I eventually had to face reality; I could either be myself, **_or_** be a cop.” He shrugged again, slumping down in the seat a bit,

 

“I never really got along with most of the other cops kids; they usually were really uptight and would act all weird around me, and I quickly found out why.

 

 I liked fashion and makeup, I started running around with different kinds of people, I started dating. I didn’t really have to do the whole ‘ _coming out’_ thing because I never really hid anything, If I thought someone was attractive, I’d say as much…it didn’t actually occur to me that calling another guy attractive was unusual, and to my dad’s credit, he never really seemed weird about it.

 

 _I mean_ , when I started bringing guys home to meet him he was all awkward and everything, but he was really just as awkward and uncomfortable with the girls, so I think it was just a Henry kinda thing…It never really bothered him; he never tried to get me to change…

 

At least, he never did…until I told him I wasn’t going to go to the academy...”

 

Alec nodded slightly, understanding moving a bit closer, motioning for him to continue

 

 Magnus sighed, leaning back against the head rest…

 

“It, _man_ … the day I told him, it was one of the worst days of my life…I wasn’t naive, I knew he wouldn’t take it _well_ ; but, I just wasn’t ready for that…

 

I know he didn’t mean the things he said, I know he was just angry and I believe he regretted them the second he said them, but, everything changed. I just didn’t see him the same anymore; and _I know_ he doesn’t see me the same…”

 

Alec cautiously reached over, putting his arm around his shoulders; Magnus leaned into it, sliding over, nestling in against his side, hugging him.

 

 

“Hey, at least you know he didn’t actually mean it and it only happened once…My parents haven’t looked at me the same since I came out. I know they blame me for Jace and Izzy not being straight; as if they just decided to come out in solidarity or something.

 

Nothing I do ever seems good enough for them; being a detective isn’t enough, I should try to advance more, I should’ve taken more schooling like Izzy, I should be more outgoing like Jace. About the only thing they **_don’t_** criticize is my love life, as that is strictly off the table as far as topics of conversations go. You disappointed your dad once; I’ve done it, like, every day for the last twenty years.”

 

Magnus cuddles even closer  

 

“Darling, I hate to tell you this; but your parents are idiots.”

 

 Alec laughs, surprised

 

“No, they’re not really that bad; they’re just kind of overly concerned with appearances and social standing and all that. Also, they had all these expectations of what their first born kid would be and can’t seem to understand that it’s just not me…” he shrugs slightly

 

Magnus scoffs slightly,

 

“Make excuses all you want; if they can’t see how remarkable you are, then they are idiots, and you will not convince me otherwise.”

 

Alec laughs again, giving a faint nod, pulling Magnus a bit closer,

 

“Maybe they are, a bit”

 

They sit for a while, neither of them really expecting anything more of the stake out, but not really ready for it to end either.

 

 “Thank you for this, by the way” Alec said, smiling slightly

 

Magnus shifts so he can properly see Alec, raising his eyebrow slightly in confusion,

 

“For what? Dragging you along on what is seeming more and more like a wild goose chase?”

 

Alec chuckled giving a soft smile,

 

 “No, for doing all this, for helping with Max and his friends.”

 

“It is no problem …The boys were quite worried, I am glad to help. I’d hate to think of them trying to look into this on their own”

 

“Yeah…I know.” He said, looking down a bit

 

Magnus reached over catching his hand, squeezing gently,

 

  “Alexander, darling, it will be fine…we will solve this, I am sure of it.”

 

He smiled, giving a faint nod,

 

 “I know we will… _You’re_ working on it”

 

“ ** _We_** are; Sweetheart, I don-”

 

Alec cuts him off, shaking his head quickly,

 

 “ I didn’t mean it like that…I meant, if _you’re_ working a case, I don’t have to worry about the outcome; you will find something, and you will figure it out, even if it totally baffles everyone else, you will see right through all of it and find the truth.

 

Magnus, I am relieved that you are helping with this…Max is my baby brother; knowing that there is someone at his school who purposely tried to hurt, possibly even kill, his teacher? That he and his friends were actually _**investigating** _ it?  If it was, literally, anyone else in there, I would be a basket case; I’d of already told our parents and had them keep him home until whoever is behind it is caught…But it’s **_you_** …

 

I don’t have to worry because I know he has you right there, and that, regardless of anything else, you would spot any danger long before it got anywhere near him, or his friends.

 

I don’t think there is anyone else I’d trust more in this situation.”

 

 Magnus is staring at him with that same really soft, warm, totally amazed, slightly blushing look that he had when they’d talked to Ventura. The one that makes Alec’s heart race and his breath catch.

 

_He wants to see that look every day_

 

“Thank you, Alexander…”

 

Alec shrugs faintly “It’s the truth.”

 

He grins a bit

 

 “ _Plus_ , since Max and his friends met you they think I’m just about one of the coolest people ever…Jace is gonna be so jealous.”

 

 Magnus smiles warmly, giving a soft chuckle,

 

 “As well they should; you are quite remarkable…And I was delighted to get to meet Max; he is absolutely wonderful, I adore him. He’s so much like you.”

 

Alec blushes slightly, then looks a bit unsure

 

 “Umm…h-how do you think he’s doing?”

 

Magnus tilts his head slightly

 

“With the case? I think he’s a bit worried, but he is handling it quite well, all things considered.”

 

Alec shook his head,

 

“No, not with the case, well, not just that. I worry about him a lot; he’s the only one living with our parents and I worry about the pressure it puts on him. When I was growing up I had Izzy and Jace going through all the same things I was and I always had someone to turn to or vent to…

 

I worry that Max doesn’t have that, I mean, I try to be there for him, as much as I can, and I think he knows he can come to me about anything, Izzy and Jace too, of course, but I just worry it’s not enough.”

 

Magnus shakes his head, smiling softly,

 

“Darling, he is doing fine…he is happy and self assured. He has friends that he can count on and he does know that he can come to you about absolutely anything…he is a fantastic young man; intelligent, kind, and compassionate. He has a good head on his shoulders and an open-minded, level headed outlook that is rare to find in most _adults_ , much less a teenager.

 

He really does take after you, in all the best ways…You don’t have anything to worry about, sweetheart.”

 

Alec looks relieved, and is blushing a bit more

 

“Thanks”

 

“Of course, my darling detective”

 

“Well, I – _oh, **crap** I think he spotted us_!” Alec interrupts his own sentence

 

Magnus glances over

 

Cobb is outside the coffee shop he’d been in for the last hour, he is talking with a few other people, but now they are looking over towards the car, one of them begins to walk over towards the car…

 

  _“What do we do!?”_ Magnus asks

 

“I don’t know! This was **_your_** plan!” Alec hisses

 

“Well, why would we be sitting in a parked car on a nearly deserted…” he trails off,

 

“I have an idea”

 

_And that’s all the warning Alec gets_

 

The next thing he knows Magnus is sitting in his lap, arms wrapped around his neck, kissing him desperately.

 

Alec gasps, automatically wrapping his arms around Magnus, pulling him closer.

 

_Damn…_

He runs his hands up Magnus’s back, and through his, _unbelievably_ soft, hair, tugging slightly.

 

_O-okay it’s just a cover, it’s n-_

 

Then Magnus _**moans** ,_ and he kind of loses any hope of coherent thought.

 

He deepens the kiss, changing the angle slightly. Magnus somehow moves even closer, making a soft, pleased hum kind of sound that drives Alec absolutely crazy. Magnus’s fingers catch in his hair, pulling him in. He gives a low almost growl, running his hand down Magnus’s back …

 

There’s a knock on the window

 

They startle slightly, glancing around

 

Coach Cobb is long gone…

 

The street is completely deserted, except for the person who knocked on the window…When they register Alec has to fight down a groan.

 

It’s a uniformed officer…From **_his_** precinct…

 

_One of the gossips_

“Hello, officer Phineas” he says resignedly

 

“Hey detective Lightwood, Magnus… _uh_ …Nice night, isn’t it?”

 

Alec groans…

 

He gives it a week, tops, before every precinct in the district has heard that Head detective Alec Lightwood was caught parking with the Psychic detective…

 

_And he thought Simon was the one stuck in high school…_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> So…Totally worth the wait, right?
> 
> I love this chapter so much!!!
> 
> (As usual I’ll proofread on lunch)
> 
> I have to go to work now, but I’ll be smiling the whole day
> 
>  **Name Game**  
>  Brock: Resembling a Badger  
> Tavas: Peacock


	9. Full Of Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael helps Simon with his 'students flirting' problem...
> 
> kind of
> 
> Someone stumbles onto the investigation…they get the wrong idea
> 
> Magnus gets a visitor in his class

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_Oh, man he was SO late…_

 

He couldn’t believe he’d overslept on his second day of school! He’d stumbled out of bed at ten till eight, threw on the first thing he found and just barely remembered to grab his glasses as he rushed out the door.  He made it to the school just as the first bell rang, careening into the E building, running flat out to the classroom.

 

He _SO_ did not want to get caught up in a tardy sweep…

_Cause that_ _wasn’t a weird thought_ ,

_Seriously he was twenty five_ **freaking** _years old, how was this his life?_

 

He could see a teacher beginning to make the rounds…

 

Just a bit further…

 

He tumbled through the door just as the morning announcements begin, opening the door with a bit too much force, causing it to bounce off the wall and startling the entire class, all of them turning as one to see what the commotion was…

 

 “ _ **Yes!**_ _Made it!_ Oh, Uh…H-hey, guys, ha, overslept…” he stammered, blushing slightly,

 

“Ah, Mr. Lewis…So very nice of you to join us today” Magnus said with a smirk, sounding kind of odd, raising his eyebrow

 

“Sorry… couldn’t get out of bed today I guess…” a couple giggled, he heard a few whispering...

_Ah,_ **this** _was the high school experiences he was expecting_

 

_Awkwardness and jokes: _ **totally**_ his wheelhouse_

 

 He shrugs, giving a little half wave as he awkwardly made his way to his desk. He sits down, slumping slightly and fighting a blush. Pulling out his notebook and a few other things he busies himself with getting prepared for the day. He still hears a bit of whispering and giggles.

 

  _Surely they’ve moved on by now?_

 

…Man he still feels like everyone’s eyes are on him

 

He glances around…

 

_Okay, so it’s not just his imagination_

 

Magnus is going over the lesson plan, but Simon can see that he is trying to keep from laughing himself, and he keeps glancing over at Simon as well.

 

_He is going to develop a complex_

 

He glances over at Max who is sitting next to him and clearly trying his best to hold in his laughter.

 

“Dude, what’s up? I wasn’t even technically late, why is everyone still focused on me?”

 

 Kasey bursts out laughing

 

Isaac giggles slightly, then gives a guilty look,

 

“Sorry” he whispers apologetically

 

“ _Seriously_ , what is it?” he glances around

 

A cute girl with curly brown hair tucked up under a deep maroon hat leans over, handing him some kind of makeup, stick, kind of thing. He stares at it, then glances up at her, confused.

 

 “Thanks, um…?”

 

She smiles, shrugging slightly “Kelsi… I think we’d be about the same shade and it _does_ cover about everything…”

 

He still looks confused.

 

Max and the others laugh louder

 

Kelsi hands him a small mirror covered in music notes

 

He opens it, then startles, nearly dropping it…

 

His neck is _littered_ with hickeys. Oh, man he is going to kill Raphael, who _**absolutely**_ did this on purpose.

 

He pulls out his phone,

 

  _ **Simon: What did you do! I look like I have the plague!**_

 

_**Raphael: Well you did say them hitting on you was making you uncomfortable; I decided to help** _

 

_**Simon: I think ONE would have worked!** _

 

_**Raphael: They are teenagers, some could be quite dense…best to be sure… also, I may have gotten carried away** _

 

_**Simon: You think!** _

 

_**Raphael: You are quite distracting, amor…At least they’ll leave you alone now** _

 

 He glances up,

 

_**Simon: Uhh… I doubt that…man, teenagers are the worst when it comes to love life mockery** _

 

_**Raphael: No…that would be Magnus…** _

 

_Ah, crap…_

 

Simon groaned,

 

_This was going to be a_ **very** _long day_

****

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 “Hey guys, sorry I’m late… _man_ , people will _**not**_ leave me alone today!” Simon rushed out as he scrambled into the classroom.

 

Magnus grinned

 

“ _Well, well, well;_ if it isn’t the talk of the school…”

 

Divya and the boys snickered

 

“Don’t…just don’t”

 

Simon interrupted, holding his hand up, trying to head him off before he really built up steam…they _did_ only have fifty minutes for lunch, and he was already almost ten minutes late, if he got going they’d never get to the actual case.

 

Magnus smirked eyes sparking mischievously,

 

 “Well, darling, what do you expect? Your first day of high school you catch the eye of nearly half the student body just by being your wonderful, adorable, self. You heroically stand up to an overcompensating egotistical Neanderthal, _and **then**_ you proceed to kiss a gorgeous, mysterious stranger in front of the entire school and drive off with him…

 

Then you show up today late and like _that_ …”

 

 _“Magnus…”_  Simon sighed exasperatedly,

 

 “I’m just saying; if you want to blend in you simply must try to be less fascinating darling…

 

These poor teenagers just are not equipped to deal with such excitement.”

 

Simon rolled his eyes

 

The teenagers in the room were laughing too much to really contribute anything to Simon’s current predicament.

 

 “Hey, it’s not like _you’re_ exactly going unnoticed…

 

I saw one dude walk into a closed door he was staring at you so much. Four people in class asked you to help them on questions that they _absolutely_ knew the answers too. The Math teacher came in twice to see if you needed anything, Ditto the history teacher, and no less than six students ‘ _accidentally’_ wandered into your class today…”

 

 Magnus laughed, shrugging slightly

 

“True, but they don’t think I’m one of them…that is the difference.”

 

Simon groaned throwing his hands up in annoyance,

 

“Ugh… _I know!_ This is insane, it really creeps me out”

 

 “Hence Raphael’s apparent vampire impression?” Magnus asked with a raised eyebrow

 

Simon nodded, rolling his eyes

 

“Oh, yeah; apparently _this_ was his big plan to get them to back off”

 

Magnus chuckled, shrugging slightly

 

“Well, I suppose he couldn’t really go with his standard flirt, confuse and intimidate methods when it’s a bunch of teenagers”

 

 _“ _His what now_?”_ Max asked in between laughs

 

 Simon smiled a bit

 

“It seems that my boyfriend has a standard system for dealing with people; flirt and fluster them as much as humanly possible, confuse the hell out of them, or just intimidation… sometimes a combination of the three…”

 

“ _ **Most**_ of the time it’s a combination of the three” Magnus supplied with a laugh

 

The teens looked a mix of impressed, amused, and slightly nervous

 

“ _Dude_ , Divya was right; you guys are a crazy group” Kasey laughed, shaking his head

 

 Magnus barked out a bit of a laugh

 

“Darling, you have _no_ idea”

 

Simon just kind of shrugged; he was used to the crazy after nearly six months of it…

 

 “Yeah, well, anyways, it was a good plan, I guess…as they _did_ stop hitting on me…Though now they won’t stop pestering me for information about my ‘ridiculously hot older boyfriend’.”

 

“The price you pay for being so popular” Magnus teased, grinning

 

“Whatever…just can we get back to Ventura? We need to get this settled so I can stop living out some bizarre teen movie and get back to my normal life of criminals and awkwardness.”

 

Magnus nodded vigorously, perching on the edge of the desk

 

“You are quite right; I will gladly take thieves, murderers, and other assorted lawbreakers over teenagers any day…Present company excepted, of course.” he finished, tilting his head to Divya and the boys.

 

Divya grinned, shrugging

 

“Hey, I get it; teenagers annoy the hell out of me too…and I’m one of them.”

 

 “So, how are w-”

 

“Wait…what was that?” Magnus interrupted, suddenly standing up, tilting his head slightly

 

Everyone froze, glancing around

 

“I di-” Max begun, but went silent when Magnus placed his finger to his lips, nodding slightly towards the classroom storage closet

 

The teens looked questioning…

 

Simon moved over by Magnus, they creeped silently towards the closet. The teens moved to the other side of the room, away from the door, just in case. Divya moved slightly in front of the younger boys. Magnus and Simon reached the door…

 

Simon held up three fingers,

 

_3...2...1…_

 

Magnus grabbed the door handle, quickly flinging the door open, staring inside. Bright blue eyes stared back in shock, framed by a mess of even brighter blue and pink hair. Magnus instantly recognized the student from Max’s class.

 

“Hello, dear; and what, may I ask, are you doing?”

 

“Uh…Hey…umm, so the homework for tonight was the Q&A on chapter five, right?” Billie asked, nervously tucking a bit of hair behind their ear…

 

Magnus just raised his eyebrow slightly

 

“So…Umm, I’m kinda late, uh, s-so I’m just gonna go-” they stammered slightly… pointing vaguely towards the classroom door…

 

“Not until you answer a few questions…” Simon said, apologetically

 

“What were you doing spying on us?”

 

Billie glared back at him; clearly nervous but trying to cover it.

 

“I was investigating; trying to find out who was trying to hurt u-Mr. Ventura…If I have to, then so do you: _Why are you guys after Mr. Ventura_ _?”_

 

Simon shook his head,

 

“We’re not…”

 

Billie actually rolls their eyes at that, huffing slightly. Magnus has to fight back a smile at the sheer moxie of this kid. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed.

 

 “ _Right_ , so, there’s some other _, totally innocent_ , non-creepy, reason two strange men are disguising themselves as a student and a teacher and randomly infiltrating a high school?

 

Some reason that _doesn’t_ end as an episode of dateline?”

 

Magnus chuckles slightly

 

_He likes this kid_

 

The teen glares slightly at Magnus then glances around, eyes darting from Magnus and Simon over to Divya and the other teens. Billies eyes widen, head shaking faintly in disbelief.

 

Max looks like he’s somehow blushing and paling at the same time…

 

 _It is quite a feat, really_  

 

 “ _Max_?! I can’t believe you’d be a part of this…you always seemed so nice!”

 

The poor boy looks like a deer in the headlights. He shook his head frantically moving tentatively closer.

 

“ _No_ , no, Billie; it’s not what you-”

 

 “ _How can it not be what I think?!_ He’s talking about ‘settling’ this with Mr. Ventura and about criminals and murderers…

 

What is going on?” she demands, gesturing animatedly

 

 _“I-it’s not, I don’t…I can’t…”_ Max stammers still shaking his head franticly, glancing from Simon and back to Magnus, totally at a loss.

 

 Simon sighs, stepping forward,

 

Billie steps back a bit, clearly frightened

 

Simon put up his hands in a placating gesture…

 

“H-He really is telling the truth; it’s not what you think…”

 

“And I would believe you, _why_?”Billie asks sarcastically, raising an eyebrow,

 

Simon reached into his bag and pulled out his detective shield, holding it up

 

“Because I’m actually a detective…I work with Max’s older brother; he saw everything that was going on with Mr. Ventura and when he had the accident, he and his friends came to us to help investigate. We’re not here to hurt him… We’re trying to keep him safe”

 

 Billie looked at the group in shock before settling back on Simon, uncertain

 

“S-so, you’re really a detective?”

 

He nodded quickly,

 

“Yeah, with the SBPD”

 

Billie glanced over at Magnus, quirking an eyebrow inquiringly,

 

“And…you are a detective with the SBPD as well?”

 

Magnus chuckled, shaking his head faintly,

 

“Oh, no dear; nothing so mundane…I’m a psychic; although I do work with the SBPD quite often.”

 

“Uh huh… _Okay_ …”

 

She turns back to Simon

 

“D-Don’t take this the wrong way, but, can I see your badge again?”

 

 He chuckles slightly, handing it over for examination

 

“Whoa…and you guys are really here to help look into Mr. Ventura’s accident?” she asks looking at them hopefully, handing Simon his badge back, glancing between Simon and Magnus

 

“Yes, darling; we are looking into it, we will surely catch whoever it is targeting your uncle.”

 

 _“Uncle?!”_ Kasey exclaims, shocked

 

Billie nodding amazed “Yeah, he is…How did you know that?”

 

Magnus grins shrugging slightly

 

“ _Psychic_ , darling”

 

 She looks amazed, and almost verging on giddy

 

 _“That is SO cool!”_ she turns to Max excitedly,

 

“So, you really not only got a detective to look into this, but an actual _psychic_ too?!”

Max nods quickly, pushing his hair back, fidgeting somewhat

“Y-yeah, we just…we’ve been looking into everything that’s been going on with him cause it was a lot, even if you just count bad luck or accidents and pranks and all that…when he had the accident we knew we couldn’t handle something that big on our own, and my brother is a detective, so we went to talk to him and he introduced us to some of his friends and they offered to help…

Well, Magnus is his friend, I _thought_ he was his boyfriend, but I guess not…not yet anyways…Simon is his friend too, but he’s also his partner… _Uh_ , work partner, not like, boyfriend or anything. His boyfriend is Raphael, the guy that he kissed yesterday…

_Umm_ …o-obviously…”

 

Max trailed off awkwardly, blushing brilliantly.

 

Behind him Kasey rolled his eyes slightly, Isaac covered his eyes, shaking his head in embarrassment.

 

“Wow, Max you are the coolest person ever!”

 

“Umm…Uhh….t-thanks…”

 

_Hmm…didn’t know someone could blush that bright a color,_

 

 Magnus thought, amused

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

_Let’s see…it was room 355 in the E building…_

 

Alec wandered cautiously through the halls, making his way to what was apparently Magnus’s classroom for the week. He’d texted him, asking Alec to come by the school, telling him they may have something

 

 “Hey; what are you doing here?” a rather deep voice snapped in an accusing tone

 

Alec looks towards the voice. There’s a fairly intimidating looking man standing with his arms crossed, seemingly staring him down, it’s Coach Cobb. Alec recognizes him from the other night…

 

 “I was looking for room 355?”

 

The man’s expression turns to even more of a glare

 

“Why, exactly, are you looking for Mr. Ventura’s room?”

 

“Oh, I wa-”

 

 “There you are sweetheart, I was wondering if you got lost” Magnus said warmly, slipping his arm around Alec and leaning up, kissing him soundly before pulling back, startling slightly as he seemingly just noticed Coach Cobb,

 

He keeps his arm securely around Alec

 

“Oh, h-hello, Coach Cobb” he says sheepishly

 

Cobb isn’t glaring as much, now he just looks confused.

 

_Alec can relate…_

 

He’s still caught on Magnus kissing him _(Yet Again)_ and the fact that he still has his arm around him.

 

“What is going on here? Who’s this guy and why is he wandering around the school after hours? And why where you two following me last night?”

 

“Umm….” Alec stammers

 

Magnus sighs slightly, tugging Alec closer, slipping his hand down and interlacing their fingers.

 

“It’s all perfectly innocent…”

 

 Alec nods quickly, that’s the closest to a response he can get, he hopes Magnus will come up with something as his brain is still tied up in the fact that Magnus kissed him, _again_ , and is now practically tucked against his side and he kind of fits perfectly like that and…

 

 _Hey_ _,_ when did he put his arm around Magnus? He doesn’t remember doing that, but his arm is around Magnus and his hand is kind of resting on Magnus’s hip and he should probably move it a-

 

“This is my husband”

 

_Wait,_ **what?!**

 

“Your husband?” Cobb asks raising his eyebrow slightly

 

Magnus nods

 

“Yes, you see, I told you yesterday that it has been a while since I taught and yesterday was quite trying. He just came by to see if today was going any better for me, that’s all.”

 

“You don’t have a ring…”

 

Magnus nodded sighing, rubbing at his ring finger,

 

“I know, I don’t wear it at school…It was the first day and I didn’t know what the faculty and students would be like. Having them believe I was straight was a bit of a lost cause, and I didn’t want to have to deal with the whole gay marriage thing my first day here along with everything else”

 

He still looks kind of suspicious. He shifts his focus to Alec, tilting his head slightly.

 

 “Why does he look so nervous?”

 

Magnus gave a bit of a guilty shrug, tugging Alec closer,

 

“Oh, well; last night, when you saw us, I-I really shouldn’t of been there. He’s a detective and he was on a stake out…We weren’t following _you_ ; we were watching the pawn shop next door.

 

 A suspect has been seen frequenting it, and that’s the only place they really have solid proof of him visiting in the last few weeks…He’s been working this case for weeks and I haven’t got to see him hardly at all and so last night I tagged along.

 

  _I know I shouldn’t have_ ; and he could get in a lot of trouble for it… I just really missed him and yesterday was kind of a rough day and I just really wanted to spend time with him…He’s worried that if you say anything about him bringing his husband along on a stake out it may cost him his job.

 

You won’t do that? Will you?” Magnus asked, pleadingly

 

 “So, there’s nothing going on between you and Ventura?” he asks slowly

 

Magnus laughs, shocked

 

 “ _Oh, god no!_ Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude…he’s been a family-friend for years, he is practically family. Definitely no romantic interest…I just wanted to help because I care about him…

 

In a completely platonic, family kind of way.”

 

He smiles, obviously relieved

 

“Ah, okay. Hey, don’t worry…I won’t say anything about the stake out. It’s good you’re looking out for him.” 

 

Magnus gives him a relieved smile,

 

“Thank you Coach; we really do appreciate it.”

 

He shrugged slightly,

 

“No problem…I get it; it’d be pretty hard not getting to spend time with your spouse. It’s sweet he’d risk that much to spend time with you.”

 

“He’s worth the risk” Alec blurted, then promptly flushed

 

_He did NOT mean to say that out loud!_

 

Magnus absolutely beamed

 

“Well thank you, my darling detective, I do try.”

 

Alec laughed rolling his eyes affectionately,

 

 “You know you don’t have to try.”

 

 Cobb laughed,

 

“Have a good night guys, through remember…Just because you’re in a high school _doesn’t_ mean you get to act like teenagers.”

 

Magnus gave an overly scandalized look

 

 “Coach Cobb! What kind of guy do you take me for?”

 

Cobb smirked, teasingly, raising his eyebrow,

 

“The kind that sneaks his husband into an empty classroom after hours?”

 

Alec blushed brightly

 

Cobb laughs again as he leaves.  As soon as he gets around the corner Magnus tugs Alec in the classroom with him.

 

“Sorry for surprising you like that…It was the first thing I thought of to explain everything.”

 

“I-it’s okay, it worked…So, what did you need to show me?”

 

 “Over here”

 

He leads Alec over to his desk…He has an assortment of papers laid out across it.

 

“So I had the students do a quick writing assignment today, going over what they think of how the class is run, what they like, what could be improved… all their assignments are typed up, but I got to thinking about some of the terminology of the letters Ventura was getting.

 

 I went over them and I don’t think they’re all by the same person, though they do share some of the same language and such…While it may not be the same person writing all of them I do believe they are related as a great deal of the wording seems to echo each other; it could be siblings or even a student and a parent…

 

Look, this one… the writing is almost identical to some of the notes, and the way they word things is quite similar as well- I think this student is one of the people who’ve been threatening Ventura. Only…”

 

“What?”

 

“I let them turn them in anonymously …I figured I’d get more honest responses that way. So I don’t know who it is, just that it is someone in one of my classes but it is a start…”

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 


	10. After School Activities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon and the other’s fill Billie in on the case
> 
> The gossip mill at the precinct may actually be worse than that at the school
> 
>  

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 “He’s actually being threatened! I can’t believe he didn’t say anything!” Billie gasped

 

Simon shook his head,

 

 “He probably just didn’t want to worry you…Also, until Magnus and Alec actually started questioning him about it he really did just think it was some kind of prank or something” Simon assured.

 

“Man, this is just crazy…I know Uncle Tony’s kinda strict, but the idea that someone actually wants to _really_ hurt him? It just seems totally unreal” Billie said, slightly wide eyed

 

 “Dude, it’s _SO_ weird you call him ‘Uncle Tony’” Kasey said, shaking his head

 

 _“ **That’s** what you find weird here?” _ Billie exclaimed,

 

“Well, kinda…I mean, it’s _Mr. Ventura_ ; he’s like the most ‘Teachery _’_ teacher ever…I don’t think it really occurred to me that he had, _like_ , a life outside of school, much less a family.”`

 

Max laughed slightly, shaking his head at his friend. Isaac rolled his eyes somewhat affectionately at his boyfriend’s dumbfounded look.

 

“ _Kasey_ ; he’s a person, not a robot” Billy said exasperatedly, rolling her eyes

_“ _Hey!_ _Up until, like, these last few weeks we had no proof of that!__ That may have actually been my theory going into this!”

 

“He’s…kidding, right?” Billie asks, glancing between Isaac and Max

 

Isaac just shrugs slightly.

 

“Umm…I really _**want**_ to say yes; but he does watch a lot of scifi…so, I really don’t know” Max says trying to fight a smile

 

“ _Though_ , he did think our 3rd grade teacher was an alien”

 

_“I swear she didn’t blink the entire year!”_

 

“And he DID spend all of 5th grade convinced our gym teacher was a werewolf…”

 

_“Dude, no one is that hairy!”_

 

“Also, in 7th grade he thought the 2nd floor utility closet was hunted…it wasn’t. He investigated and tried to ‘catch the ghosts’ on camera…apparently it was where some people would hookup.”

 

“That was… okay, yeah, that one was pretty bad” Kasey said, blushing kinda sheepishly

 

 Isaac giggled, slipping his arm around Kasey

 

“Isn’t he cute?” he beamed

 

“Nope” Max said resolutely shaking his head

 

“The important thing is _you_ think so…” Divya said with a smirk

 

_“Hey!”_

 

Billie and Simon just laughed

 

“Whatever; Isaac’s way prettier than all of you anyways” Kasey muttered slipping his arm around Isaac

 

Isaac blushed faintly, rolling his eyes

 

Simon chuckled, shaking his head with a bit of a grin,

 

 “As entertaining as this is, and, Kasey? I really mean that; I thought a lot of the same things about some of my teachers in school …we really need to focus on the case; we can’t hang out here too long without attracting attention.”

 

The teens settled down as Simon begins;

 

“Okay, so; _despite some evidence to the contrary_ _,_ Mr. Ventura is, in fact, a human, and has apparently been targeted by someone at this school…

 

He’s in the hospital so he’s safe, but we need to find who it is before he gets out. He’s been receiving threats from at least two people…one of whom is a student in one of Magnus’s classes. We don’t know who though. Did you find anything while you we’re investigating?” Simon asks, turning to Billie

 

Billing bites her lip thinking for a moment before giving a shrug,

 

 “Well, I know that there are a lot of students that don’t like him…he really is a stickler for the rules and he seems like he’s tougher on the athletes; but that’s because he’s making sure that they are really getting what they are supposed to out of the class. It’s not that he’s being tough; he just wants to make sure the students that leave his class are ready for the next one they face. He knows that some of them have gotten passing grades that they didn’t deserve so they could continue playing on teams.

 

He thinks that’s unfair; not only for the other students, but also for the student that is getting a free pass. He knows that when they actually do finish school and get out in the real world they’ll be totally unequipped for it… he really is trying to help them, even if they can’t see it.”

 

 “So you think it may be an athlete who’s failing his class?” Divya asks, tilting her head, interested

 

“Because that really does seem like a good way to go; a lot of the jocks at this school think they can do no wrong. The only thing is there are kinda a lot of them and as far as I know there are quite a few of them that aren’t really getting good grades in Mr. Ventura’s class.”

 

 “Is there any way we can narrow it down?” Max asks

 

“I really don’t know; he takes his students privacy seriously, he never discusses other student’s grades with anyone else, except, maybe some of the other teachers or their parents, but that’s it. I know there are a lot that resent him; Troy really dislikes him because he’s so tough on him, and it’s even worse since his dad’s the basketball coach.

 

When Jackson got a C in the class I know he was complaining nonstop and said his parents would call their lawyer saying he was being unfairly harsh and like picking on him because he’s gay…though, I don’t really know how he got that as Uncle Tony’s gay too, not to mention there are, like, a lot of other people at our school who are out, so I think he’s just grasping at straws. Danny ended up talking him out of it.

 

 _Well,_ he told him he was being a jackass and to knock it off, so, same difference.

 

 I know I did hear him complaining about one of the student’s moms constantly calling and scheduling visits, and just randomly coming by the school; He actually ended up changing his number because she got his home phone and was calling him there too; and that’s just the ones that I know of…”

 

“Wow, that’s a lot” Isaac muttered giving a low whistle

 

 “Mr. Ventura’s gay?” Kasey asked

 

Max gives an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes

 

“Way to stay on topic”

 

 _“Hey! It’s not like it’s that obvious!”_  Kasey insisted

 

Max raised his eyebrow,

 

“Uh…dude, did you miss him totally checking out Magnus… _And_ Alec for that matter?”

 

He shrugged,

 

“Well, no…But both of them are, like, ridiculously hot, so…”

 

Max startled shaking his head quickly,

 

 _“Please don’t say that about my_ **brother** _!”_   He exclaimed,

 

“Dude, I’m pretty sure the first crush I ever had on a guy was on Alec” Kasey said grinning

 

_“Eww! Don’t tell me that!”_

 

“ _OKAY_ , so, how are we going to find out who is targeting Mr. Ventura?” Max asked somewhat desperately looking around the room before Kasey could say anything more

 

“Well, after school I was going to go visit Uncle Tony; maybe, now that we know for sure at the very least a student is involved with the threats, he can help narrow it down a bit” Billie offered, smiling at Max slightly.

 

 Simon nods thoughtfully

 

“Yeah, that’s a good idea; since he’s had time to think about it, maybe someone will come to mind”

 

“Thank you” Billie said, smiling shyly

 

“ _Oh_ , and thanks also for yesterday, for helping with Brock.”

 

Simon shrugged faintly

 

“Eh, it’s no problem, I was happy to help; that kind of ignorance and stupidity just really gets to me. I’ve never understood why some people get so wrapped up in things that have, _literally_ , nothing to do with them…

 

Like really, how does how you look or act or whatever, affect him in anyway? The only way it would at all is, like, if he’s confused about himself and is trying to ignore it. And, _once again_ , if that’s the case it’s _**HIS**_ problem, not yours.”

 

Billie shrugs faintly,

 

 “Well, I kind of hope it’s not that, that’s kind of sad and I don’t want to feel bad for him.”

 

“He could always just have a crush on you and this is his way of getting your attention” Kasey says, jokingly

 

“ _Oh, god I hope not!_ That’s just disturbing; I’d rather just stick with him being an ignorant, idiotic jackass.”

 

Max nods quickly,

 

“Yeah…that is a scary thought. Brock’s always been a jerk, probably took too many hits to the head in practice; sounds better than he’s just naturally _**that**_ stupid.”

 

 Billie laughs, smiling at him, nodding a bit

 

“Thanks Max; I think I’ll go with that. Always a good idea to just go with the smartest guy in class.”

 

“Uh…uh huh” he kind of stutters out

 

Billie turns back to him,

 

“Thanks again, for helping with all this” she smiles one more time at Max

 

“And thank all you guys for helping find out who’s messing with Uncle Tony…I really didn’t know what to do about all of it. I thought about trying to go to the police, but didn’t know how to do that without sounding crazy”

 

“Yeah, us either, it was really Max who found a way…we’d of been totally lost without him.” Isaac says

 

Billie nods, cheerfully

 

“Of course he’d figure out a way, he’s one of the smartest people I know.”

 

Max blushes

 

“I-it’s no problem…”

 

 “I should head out; visiting hours at the hospital are over at 5 and I really want to go see uncle Tony tonight, I’ll ask him if he knows of any students that might have more than the usual grudge against him… See you guys later.

 

Thanks again Max” She smiles once more, turning to leave, then pauses a second, turning back

 

“ _Oh_ , I almost forgot, here, put you number in, I’ll let you know what he says” she hands him her phone, waiting patiently

 

He takes the phone and types his number in, fumbling slightly, and blushing, before handing it back. She glances at it, hits a few keys then hits one more tap and his phone chirps with a text.

 

 “There; now you have mine, too” She smiles one more time before turning and heading out the door

 

Max is still frozen, standing the same way he was when Billie got her phone back.

 

 Divya is clearly trying to hold in a laugh, Simon just raises an eyebrow

 

Kasey snickers a bit, Isaac shakes his head slightly

 

“Shut up” Max mutters, blushing more

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

_Okay, so, apparently a week was generous…_

 

The rumors have already started going around the station.

 

He’s got a couple somewhat condescending looks from one or two of the older, conservative officers; though, they already thought there was something going on with him and Magnus so this was just the proof they needed.  

 

He’s had more than a few of the officer’s clam up the second he came into the room, three guesses what they’re talking about. In addition to this Alec has also got a few admiring, considering looks from some of the younger officers. It was as if he pulled off something amazing and unattainable; which, okay, yeah, if what they were saying was the _truth_ , he’d be pretty impressed himself…

 

_So that’s kinda annoying._

 

Curiously, he’s seen more than a few people exchanging money; apparently people have actually been betting on wither or not he and Magnus are together. Officer Sanders actually thanked him and gave him a pretty decent bottle of whisky he’d bought with some of his winnings (it seems that there was an actual pool going on between some of the patrol officers)

 

_At least Greg was generous with his winnings…_

 

He’d tried at first telling them the truth; that they were on a stake out and it was a cover. Absolutely no one believed him. At this point he’s given up trying to explain or deny it…He’s just taken to snapping at them to mind their own business or trying to ignore it.

 

 Right now he is debating between trying to finish his work or just ducking out and making a run for it, hoping something more interesting would happen to take the focus off him and Magnus.

 

“Hey, Detective Lightwood; can you let Magnus know his tip on the truck heist panned out, thank him for me… _uh_ …I mean” Officer Stokes trailed off, blushing slightly.

 

Alec Sighed, rolling his eyes slightly

 

 “Sure, Nick, no problem. I’m heading out now, have a good night.”

 

Alec stood quickly gathering his stuff.

 

Nick chuckled,

 

 “Yeah, I’d be outta here pretty quick too if I was going home to that.” he drawled, chuckling slightly as he left

 

  _Crap…he’d never stop blushing at this rate_

 

 “Ale-”

 

“What now?” Alec snapped turning to face whoever was talking

 

“Oh! Uh…sorry Chief, I didn’t realize it was you, it’s been a bit of a day.”

 

Luke chuckled faintly

 

“I imagine it was; I see you’re on your way out, can I talk to you for just a second before you head out? In my office?”

 

_Crap…_

 

“Yeah, no problem.”

 

 He followed Luke into the office, closing the door behind him…

 

_Well, there’s no since in beating around the bush_

 

“This is about me and Magnus isn’t it?” Alec sighed somewhat

 

Luke smiled, raising his eyebrow slightly

 

“Yeah; _you know_ _,_ when I told you I’d like you to work closely with Magnus, this _isn’t_ exactly what I meant…”

 

Alec rolled his eyes slightly, before realizing that probably wasn’t an appropriate reaction to his boss.

 

“Uh…tha-I realize that, sir and I know-”

 

Luke held up his hands, shaking his head a bit with a slight laugh

 

“Alec, relax; I’m not judging and I’m not going to give you a speech…I know you two aren’t together, I was just teasing you a bit. _Sorry_ , but I couldn’t resist.”

 

“ _Wait_ , so you actually believe me?” Alec asked, astonished

 

 He laughed again

 

“Alec; within my first week of working here you made a point of telling me of your relationship with Dax and your assurance that it wouldn’t affect your work. You stood by that and I know that, should a similar situation occur you would probably do the same thing, correct?”

 

Alec nodded, relieved that someone actually believed him

 

“Yes, absolutely”

 

Luke nodded

 

“Okay, so I have to ask, why does everyone all of a sudden think you two are together? I heard someone say that you were caught fooling around in a car?”

 

 Alec blushed “Umm…well…no, we weren’t. Technically we were just making out…”

 

He laughed, looking surprised

 

 “Uh, Alec, when you said you’d let me know if you two get together-”

 

Alec shook his head quickly, blushing faintly,

 

“It’s not like that; we were on a stake out, watching a suspect on the case at the school. We were parked across the street and it was kinda deserted and he happened to look towards the car and start to come over.

 

He works at the school so he knew Magnus from there and so Magnus kinda panicked and that was what he came up with as an excuse for us to be parked on a deserted street at almost midnight. I tried to explain that to some of the officers, but they didn’t buy it…

 

_Which is really annoying as it’s the_ **truth** _!”_

 

 Luke snickered a bit “Well, no offense Alec?  But _‘it was for a case’_ is about the oldest excuse in the book”

 

Alec groaned slightly

 

“ _I know!_ But it _**was**_ the truth this time!”

 

Luke shrugged in a ‘what can you do?’ kinda gesture,

 

“Did it work, at least? I mean did the suspect figure it out?”

 

Alec gave a slight shrug,

 

 “Well, kind of; but the next day I went to the school because Magnus had texted that he may have a lead and to meet him there. Cobb, the suspect, saw me and recognized me from the other night. Magnus came up with an excuse though so it’s good.”

 

 “What excuse did he use?”

 

Alec blushed more scratching at his neck,

 

“Uh…well, he told Cobb that I was his husband; and that I was a detective and had been on a stake out and he’d tagged along.”

 

Luke was outright laughing now, shaking his head

 

“And he bought that?”

 

“Well, Magnus was pretty convincing” Alec chuckled, glancing down, blushing a bit more

 

 “Man, this is kinda getting away from you, isn’t it?” Luke asked, trying to contain his laughter

 

“ _God, yes!_ I don’t know what to do;

 

 I’ve been denying anything was going on with us for almost as long as Magnus has BEEN here. _Though hell if I know why they’d think I’d have a chance with him in the first place_ _,_ and now they have ‘proof’. And, _of course_ it had to be that gossip Phineas that caught us, I mean really? What are the odds of it being on his beat?

 

And it’s just SO frustrating because I never wanted my love life to be the hot topic around the water cooler, but if it ever _**was**_ I kinda assumed it would at least in part be the truth and that’d mean I actually HAVE some kind of love life to begin with, which would take some of the embarrassment out of it…this is just ridiculous” he rolled his eyes in annoyance

 

Then he realized that he’d just said all that to his boss.

 

“Uh…Sorry, I didn’t mean to vent like that. I just got carried away a bit”

 

 Luke tilted his head, waving it off,

 

 “That’s fine; we all need to vent sometimes. It sounds like it’s been really rough for you.”

 

“Yeah, it really has.”

 

Luke leaned forward, giving him a somewhat concerned look,

 

“So, I know that most of what they’ve been doing has just been annoying, but if any of them give you guys any real problems, let me know.  Jokes and teasing is one thing, but I won’t accept bigotry or intolerance…

 

You and Magnus are both great assets to this precinct. If someone has a problem with either of you, or with you being together, then they either need to find a way to deal, or find a new place to work.”

 

 Alec was somewhat shocked by the determination in his voice. The man had always seemed fair and supportive, but he wasn’t expecting this.

 

“Umm…sir, I don’t mean to be nosy but are you…?”

 

Luke chuckled slightly, shaking his head

 

 “No, I’m straight; but I’ve worked plenty of places and saw plenty of loudmouth bigots cause problems for others just because something about them wasn’t ‘right’ so far as they were concerned, whether it is because of their race, gender, religion, orientation or any other random, superficial difference.

 

I don’t tolerate that; I never have, and I never will. That kind of willful ignorance is not acceptable for an officer of the law, that’s the bottom line.”

 

 Alec was impressed, and, not for the first time, really glad that they brought Luke on.

 

“Thank you sir, that really is good to hear…Though, like I said, we aren’t together, it just apparently seems like it to everyone in the department.”

 

Luke smiles slightly

 

“Well, just so you know, if you ever _**do**_ get together, so long as you don’t let it negatively affect your work, you will have nothing but support here.”

 

Alec smiled, reaching over and shaking his hand. After that It just seemed necessary.

 

“Thank you again, that means a lot.”

 

 Alec turns to leave, feeling a bit lighter now that he vented somewhat.

 

 “Oh, and Alec?”

 

“Hmm…?”

 

“I’m pretty sure the reason everyone thinks you guys are together is because you’re so much happier since he started.”

 

_There went the blush again…_

 

_God, he was never going to get rid of it_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> ** ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________ **
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> I kinda love Kasey’s crazy theories about the teachers it made me laugh
> 
> I like Luke being supportive
> 
>  
> 
> ** Okay, so Name Game Level 2: **
> 
>  I’m still playing my Name Game with OC’s but I have decided when I need filler characters (random officers, students, whatever) especially quite a few, I am just going to pick random ones from other shows I watch (I liked doing that with the teen wolf/High School Musical people, it was fun and moved it along much quicker) So I’ll post the name and you all can see if you know what they’re from:
> 
> For this chapter
> 
> **Greg Sanders**
> 
> **Nick Stokes**
> 
> Anyways…
> 
> What do you guys think so far?


	11. Parent Teacher Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus finds some new information
> 
> Perfect timing too…

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus-Magnus

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Magnus was sitting in the teachers’ lounge, comparing the threats again to the students essay, looking for some clue as to the students identity when Coach Cobb entered the room. Magnus glanced up at the man, waving him over.

 

“Hey, Coach, I was actually on my way to find you; can I talk to you a minute?”

 

He seemed a bit surprised, but shrugged, walking over and taking a seat next to him,

 

“Sure, how was your class today? Any better?”

 

Magnus gave a bit of a smile, nodding

 

The man’s attitude had totally changed since realizing Magnus wasn’t involved with Ventura, it was like night and day.

 

 “Yes, actually; thank you for asking.”

 

Cobb smiled

 

“You know, the students have really taken to you.”

 

Magnus gave a bright smile,

 

“It really seems like it.”

 

“So, you sure you aren’t going to look for a permanent job here? I mean, I know Anthony will be back next week, but I think we have an opening in the arts department, I really think you’d fit pretty well there.”

 

Magnus chuckled slightly, sitting the essay he was holding down, shaking his head

 

“Uh…no, flattering, but no. This was quite interesting, but I really was just doing this just as a favor…I really just want to get back to my real job.”

 

He tilted his head curiously

 

“Yeah? What’s that?”

 

Magnus grinned

 

“Actually, I’m a psychic detective.”

 

Cobb laughed loudly, shaking his head

 

“I can see why the students like you so much; you’re pretty funny. Really, what is it you do?”

 

Magnus chuckled; he reached into the front of his bag, pulling out one of his cards, handing it over to Cobb.

 

“I’m actually telling the truth...I really do work as a psychic detective; I have an agency downtown, Enigmatic Investigations, and I also work quite often with the SBPD.”

 

Cobb looked over the card inquisitively, raising his eyebrows somewhat, before glancing back at Magnus.

 

“Hmm… thought Anthony was pretty skeptical about those kinds of things. Actually I’ve heard him say several times that supernatural and paranormal type matters are nothing more than frauds or scams… seems weird that he’d trust a psychic to run his class.”

 

Magnus gave a bit of an apologetic shrug,

 

“Well, in all honesty, I wasn’t entirely truthful about my relationship with Ventura.”

 

Cobb tensed up, smile fading,

 

“Oh really?”

 

Magnus rolled his eyes, shaking his head exasperatedly,

 

“Not like that…so stop the glare, it’s really quite unnecessary.”

 

“I don’t kn-”

 

“Sweetie? A word of advice? Next time you see Ventura, just ask him out, you are acting like a jealous, love sick teenager. And as I’ve been surrounded by them for nearly a week, I feel I can say that with some authority.”

 

Cobb actually blushed slightly

 

“I-I’m not…I don’t…is it really that obvious?”

 

Magnus laughed raising an eyebrow

 

“Well, as on my first day you basically tired to scare me off thinking I was trying to take Ventura’s job, then proceeded to get all huffy and short when you thought that I was involved with him, yeah, I’m gonna say you are just a bit obvious…”

 

He groaned slightly

 

Magnus chuckled, leaning towards him a bit

 

“It is quite alright. Out of curiosity, why haven’t you asked him out yet?”

 

Cobb shrugged

 

“I actually tried once, not long after I started here. I would flirt, but he thought it was some kind of joke or something; he didn’t believe I was actually interested…He doesn’t really have a very high opinion of the athletics department in general and the coaches in particular.

 

 He thinks we sometimes forget that High School is about learning, not sports and it really annoys him when some of the other teachers seem to favor the athletes over the rest of the students; which I totally get.

 

I know that there are more than a few members of the faculty that have tried to get him to lighten up a bit; wither it’s because they think he’s being unfair to the students in general or that they just really want us to win a sporting event and feel that he’s standing in the way.

 

The wins generally lead to more donations for the school as well as good publicity…

 

I know Coach Bolton, the Basketball coach, has really got on him a few times about him being so strict about his grading, with all the team really, but especially with his son, Troy.

 

Honestly, the guy’s kind of a jackass, and I always think it’s pretty funny when he tries so hard to intimidate Anthony and he just brushes it off like it’s nothing. Only thing is he kind of has it in his head that I’m like that _too_ , and I can’t seem to get him to believe I’m not.”

 

Magnus nodded understandingly

 

“That really is quite the predicament. Perhaps you should go visit him at the hospital.  Maybe seeing him outside work, without the whole ‘Athletes Drama’ hanging over you, you could get him to realize that you are sincere in your interest…”

 

“Maybe” he says, unsure

 

He shook his head slightly before tilting his head as if something just occurred to him

 

“Umm…So, if you’re not actually involved with him, why exactly is a psychic teaching AP science?”

 

“Well, actually I am here investigating.”

 

He looked somewhat concerned

 

“What are you investigating? Is there something going on at the school?”

 

Magnus gave a slight nod, leaning closer,

 

“Yes, somewhat anyways…I am actually looking into Anthony’s alleged accident.”

 

“What do you mean ‘alleged’? He demanded, clearly alarmed

 

Magnus sighed slightly

 

“Apparently a few of his students have been convinced that someone’s been targeting him, for quite a while in fact. Most of it seemed to be pranks or a string of rather bad luck, but it was quite a lot.

 

When he had his accident they were worried that it was connected to the other events, and if that was the case, that was more than a bit out of their depth.”

 

He nodded quickly,

 

“Well, _yeah_ , of course it would be!”

 

“One of the boy’s older brother is a detective with the SBPD. They were going to ask him about it, but he told them about me and so they asked for my help as well; I couldn’t very well turn it down.

 

From what they’d told me I actually came here partially thinking it may very well just be a series of pranks, interspersed with some misfortune, but it turns out they were correct in their suspicions… the car crash was most definitely not an accident.”

 

“ _WHAT?!_  Wait, _wait_ …Are you saying someone actually is trying to hurt, or kill, Anthony?”

 

Magnus nodded

 

“Yes; a friend of mine went to the mechanics’ who is working on his car and had him examine the brakes. They were most definitely tampered with…there is no question.”

 

Cobb paled slightly, shaking his head,

 

“How could anyone do that? I know the guys strict, but he’s never done anything bad to anyone. He’s just a quiet, slightly quirky, _unbelievably_ smart guy who loves science, fancy coffee, and birds.”

 

“Well, apparently more than one person disagrees with you on that…”

 

Magnus reaches in his bag, pulling out the stack of threatening letters Ventura had received

 

Cobb leaned over looking at the letters

 

“It seems that for the last few months Ventura has been getting threatening letters. Until we begin to question him about it he thought they were a prank or the work of an annoyed student, nothing of importance.”

 

“He’s been getting threats?!”

 

He no longer looked pale, he looked absolutely furious

 

“Have you found out who it is?”

 

Magnus shook his head

 

“No not yet…I do know that at least a few were written by someone in one of his classes…bit I haven’t been able to narrow it down more than that…

 

One of the students said he’d been having some trouble with a few of the athletes, which I think would line up with what we have. The student in question would have a problem with Ventura; he’d of in all likelihood complained about him, several times.

 

He would be failing, or in sever danger of failing, his class…The letters are from more than one person, though I do think they are related.”

 

Magnus pushes the writing assignment from class towards Cobb

 

“I wanted to get writing samples as well as a more through view of how the students minds works, and their views of Ventura; This one here? I do believe he is responsible for at least a few of the letters…

 

The writing and linguistics are nearly identical. The only thing is, I let them turn them in anonymously, so I could get a more honest, accurate, view of their thinking.

 

So I know it’s him…I just don’t know who he…”

 

“Brock Tavas, that’s his name”

 

Magnus looks at him quirking his eyebrow,

 

“You sound quite sure?”

 

He nods determinedly

 

“I’m positive; he was in one of my classes last year, I recognize the language. Plus, he never remembers to capitalize and it would always annoy the hell out of me when I was checking is papers, it’s definitely him…”

 

“And he has had issues with Ventura?”

 

“Yeah; actually…” Cobb gasps slightly, eyes wide

 

“What?”

 

“He’s on the football team. He complains about Anthony all the time, but I never paid any attention to it as a lot of them do…but he is one of the only ones that is actually failing the class altogether…

 

In order to play on the team a student must have a passing grade in Math, Science, and English; it’s a newer policy, it just went into effect at the start of this school year. If they are not passing all three by midterms then they will not be permitted to stay on the team.

 

Brock was complaining that Ventura was too strict and that he wouldn’t let him catch up.I told him that Mr. Ventura tells all the students his policies at the beginning of the school year; he had two weeks at the beginning of the year to transfer to a different class. I told him the policy stands and that if he can’t pass his classes then he won’t be on the team.”

 

Magnus gasps slightly, the pieces suddenly coming together…He knew the kid; he was the loudmouth jock that’d been picking on Billie. He’d seen the arrogance in his gaze, but he hadn’t thought he was bright enough to mastermind all this.

 

“It was Brocks mother who was pestering Ventura, was it not?”

 

Cobb nodded

 

“Yeah, she’s a real piece of work. She would constantly come by the school to see him, bugging him about Brocks grade and such… though I almost think she may have had a slight crush on him, she did come by a ridicules amount of times, like every day for over a month.”

 

“He actually ended up changing his phone number; she somehow got his and was calling him constantly.” Magnus supplied

 

Cobb nodded, eyes kind of wide,

 

“Yeah I remember him saying about that.”

 

“And yet she’s married”

 

The coach gave a slight shrug, waiving a bit,

 

“Well, _technically_ yes, but they’ve been separated for over a year.”

 

Magnus grinned

 

 “So, today during 6th period we have that ‘pep rally’ thing, _correct_?”

 

“Uh…yeah?” Cobb replied, somewhat perplexed by the sudden topic change

 

“And you play quite the part in it, yes?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Wonderful”

 

“Why…why exactly is that so good?”

 

Magnus smirked, giving a slight chuckle, raising an eyebrow

 

Cobb didn’t really know the substitute teacher/psychic, like, at all, but he got the feeling that look meant trouble…

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_Okay, it was official, Magnus was completely insane…_

He’d texted Simon, filling him in.

 

Well; actually he just said he solved it, and that in the next thirty minutes he’d be able to solve the case, identify the culprits, and get a full confession… _So be ready,_ just in case. Then he told Simon to be sure not to miss the pep rally…

 

“So, what does he mean by that?” Billie asked as they left their 5th period class

 

Simon shrugged slightly

 

“I honestly don’t know… half the time I think he’s so vague just to confuse people and the other half I kind of wonder if it’s just so we don’t realize he’s totally making it up as he goes along.”

 

Simon kind of wondered if the last part was some kind of code or something but as the students filed out onto the football field for the Rally he caught sight of Alec and a few plain clothed officers hovering off to the side of the crowd, so clearly something was going to go down.

 

They had a stage set up on the field, garishly decorated in the schools colors. The entire school had turned out and a lot of the student’s families were in attendance as well. It was a big deal apparently, the team was doing quite well this year, as of yet they were undefeated. The team was up on the stage smiling and waving to the crowd.

 

Simon spotted Max and his friends near the front of the crowd, wandering over to them. Max glanced over, looking kind of relieved.

 

“Hey, so what’s up? I see Alec over there, but I don’t want to go over and like blow his cover or whatever in case it’s supposed to be a secret or something.”

 

Simon shrugged again

 

“I’m really not sure, Magnus was kinda vague, he just texted me that he solved it and to be ‘ready’ whatever that means.”

 

“Well that’s not cryptic or anything, is it?” Max grumbled rolling his eyes slightly

 

Simon snorted, nodding animatedly

 

_“Right!?”_

Billie peered eagerly over towards where Simon and Max were looking

 

“Max, your brother’s here? Where?”

 

Max blushed slightly, awkwardly pointing over towards the detective,

 

“Oh, umm…over there, the tall guy with black hair in the really bad suit”

 

Simon chuckled slightly at the description

 

Billie gave a slight laugh, craning their neck, spotting him. Billie grinned brightly, turning back towards Max,

 

“Hey…he looks just like you, only taller, and older. You dress way better, though”

 

Max blushed slightly

 

“T-thanks,” he stammered

 

Billie grinned “Also, he’s not nearly as c-”

 

The screech of the interference of the speakers cut off the end of the sentence

 

“ _Good afternoon everyone!_ What a great turn out!” Coach Cobb said

 

The crowd cheered, excitedly

 

“So we know why we are all here today, to congratulate the varsity football team for their undefeated streak”

 

More cheering

 

“But before we start I just wanted to take a moment to focus on one member of the team in particular…Brock, can you come over here for a minute?”

 

Brock grinned striding confidently up to the front of the stage…

 

“Actually, I saw your parents arriving, why don’t we get them up here as well; Mr. Tavas, Ms. Tavas? Will you join us up here please?”

 

Simon raised his eyebrows.

 

A rather tall, middle aged man with slightly thinning brown hair stood up making his way to the stage, from a few rows over a serious looking woman with medium blonde hair in a somewhat fussy updo wearing a high end business suit followed along.

 

They ascended the stage, joining their son.

 

Ms. Tavas gave a rather condescending smirk towards the crowd. Mr. Tavas grinned, reaching out, shaking the coach’s hand…The coach took his hand, even from this distance Simon could see that his smile looked fake, and the grip seemed extremely tight. Tavas seemed somewhat confused, but apparently shook it off.

 

“Thanks so much for coming up here.”

 

“Yeah, no problem, so what is this about anyways? Is Brock getting some kind of award or something?”

 

“Um…Not exactly” Cobb hedged, looking over off to the side of the stage

 

“Oh, that’s more than a bit presumptuous, don’t you think?” An, at this point, _extremely_ familiar voice, said from just off stage.

 

Simon groaned slightly

 

“Well, this should be interesting…” he muttered

 

Max nodded eagerly,

 

 “Yeah, let’s move closer, I don’t think I want to miss this.”

 

The other teens nodded, following suit. They moved so they were just off to the side of the stage. Over on the other side they could see Alec and the plain clothed officers getting into position.

 

“Who are you?” Ms. Tavas asked, giving Magnus a judgmental glare

 

“That’s the sub for my science class” Brock said, confused

 

“Really? _You’re_ a science teacher?” Mr. Tavas demanded, in a disapproving, somewhat appalled tone dripping with condescension.

 

“I really don’t think you’re the kind of person I want around my son” Ms. Tavas said raising an eyebrow…

 

Magnus barked out a laugh

 

“Sweetie, he’s not really the kind of person I like to be around either.  And, in truth I am actually much more than a science teacher.”

 

“Oh, and what does that mean?”

 

“I am actually a psychic”

 

“Ha, yeah right!” Brock said, shaking his head

 

Magnus turned looking all three of them over, before settling on Mr. Tavas, tilting his head

 

“Mmm…I understand; the idea of psychic abilities is very hard to believe. Plus, the idea of someone being able to read you, to see all of your thoughts, your actions, all your misdeeds… it is downright disconcerting.

 

 Especially for someone with so very much to hide.” He paused glancing over the trio once more,

 

 “I don’t have anything to hide.” Brock said with a condescending smirk

 

Magnus gave a disbelieving laugh, quirking his eyebrow,

 

“Really? Because I would think when someone is involved in deceit, manipulation, harassment and attempted murder, they may feel that they have a few things to hide.”

 

Brock and Mr. Tavas startled slightly

 

“W-what do you mean by that?”

 

Magnus gave a faint, rather sharp smirk

 

“I mean what you’ve been doing for the last three months in regards to Mr. Ventura.”

 

Ms. Tavas gasped, glaring

 

“What are you talking about? How dare you disparage my son!”

 

Magnus shook his head, turning to face her,

 

“Oh, no Ms. Tavas; I wasn’t just talking about him… you all played a part, though yours wasn’t intentional; _well_ , at least not so far as the actual threats and attempted murder goes…you just harassed and tried to seduce Mr. Ventura, quite unsuccessfully I might add…”

 

She gasped, shaking her head,

 

“I don’t know what you mean! I was never involved with Mr. Ventura!”

 

Magnus nodded at that,

 

“Well, that’s most definitely true enough, but not for your lack of trying on your part. I genuinely don’t know if your motivation was an actual attraction or if you were really that desperate to try to help your son… I would say your devotion is endearing, but reaching that point is just disturbing.”

 

She huffed, glaring,

 

“It was attraction, and it was mutual; he was just too shy…”

 

Magnus scoffed, shaking his head,

 

“No, sweetie…he wasn’t _shy_ , he was completely uninterested, and, really, everyone knew it…and knew why…Well, everyone but your estranged husband, at least.”

 

Magnus turned, facing down the older man

 

“You were convinced that she was involved with him, weren’t you? You were so convinced you even stole some of his clothes from the drycleaners, trying to find proof of the affair.”

 

He glared, puffing up slightly,

 

“Hey, he shouldn’t be messing around with a student’s parent anyways, and I know he was, as soon as I found proof I was going to go to the school board and get him fired, but he just covered his tracks too well.”

 

Magnus tilted his head curiously,

 

“So you got frustrated and rather impatient, didn’t you?”

 

_“Yes!”_

“And you tampered with his breaks?”

 

“ _Damn right I did!_ He should have backed off when I warned him the first time!”

 

“With the letters?”

 

“Yes! With the letters!” He shouted, then froze, looking around

 

He started to inch towards the edge of the stage, Alec moved up the stairs, blocking them

 

“Who are you?” Tavas demanded, seemingly sizing Alec up

 

Magnus moved over towards the detective, placing his hand on his shoulder, nodding towards him casually,

 

“Oh, this is Head Detective Alexander Lightwood, he’s the one who’s going to be taking you to the station and booking you for stalking, threats, and attempted murder… though, as you just admitted to everything, and we currently have it on video and approximately 400 witnesses, that really is more of a formality.”

 

“Mr. Tavas, you-”

 

“ _Well then I have witnesses too!_ They know what he was doing now! He should have been fired! I knew what he was doing, that he was seeing her, she was here visiting him all the time, and his number would show up on her phone” Tavas interrupted, gesturing rather erratically,

 

Magnus shook his head,

 

“She was calling him…I think if you were to check you would see that all the calls were out going. Also he ended up changing his number, further proof that he had no interest in her.”

 

“That was just a cover, I’m sure there was something going on with them, I know it!” He insisted, folding his arms defiantly,

 

Coach Cobb stepped a bit closer, shaking his head,

 

“Uh...He’s Actually telling the truth Mr. Tavas, Ventura was never involved with her.” He shrugged,

 

_“Oh yes he was!”_

 

Cobb sighed, shaking his head again,

 

“He wasn’t; absolutely no way he was. Anthony’s gay; he’s been out since he was fourteen and has known since he was about seven…he has no interest in her, he never did.”

 

“Then how come Brock said he saw them kissing?!” He Demanded

 

“That… I don’t know” Cobb said, baffled,

Magnus sighed,

 

“That is because Brock is a petty, manipulative, homophobic, borderline sociopath, who’s only motivation, so far as I can see, is to skate through life doing as little actual work as possible while simultaneously  making as many people as he can miserable…”

 

Magnus gave a dismissive shrug, before he turned to Brock, who looked angry, but far calmer than his parents

 

_It was rather unsettling, really_

Still Magnus continued,

 

“You purposely lead your dad to believe that there was something going on between them, just in the hopes that he’d end up getting Mr. Ventura fired…At first you simply just tried targeting him at school…

 

Simple things… the broken laptop, the chair. When the smaller things didn’t work you put shellfish in his lunch, which you know he is highly allergic to…

Indecently, at the very least is assault, and really, factoring in all the other things, that could quite possibly qualify as attempted murder.

 

And yet, _still_ , it didn’t work. Mr. Ventura stayed at the school; he continued to uphold his standards and expected all the students to do the same. You begin sending threatening letters, trying to scare him, but they had no effect. Nothing worked and you were going to be off the team. You ended up complaining to your mother about how tough he was, how much he was targeting you…

 

She went and seen him and rather took a liking to him, you figured that was an easy way to up your grade, so you manipulated her, too… telling her that he asked about her, that he wanted to see her more. You did it all without a hint of remorse.

 

There was only one flaw to your plan, _well_ , besides the fact that it is creepy as hell and completely morally bankrupt…Ventura was gay, he had no interest in her, and never would…

 

But _still_ that didn’t deter you.

 

You started in on your dad… dropping hints here and there about them, you knew how jealous he’d be and you played on that. I don’t think you really thought he’d go so far as to tamper with Ventura’s breaks, but at the same time, I don’t really think you care that he did…”

 

“You have no proof of any of this” Brock said nervously

 

Magnus gave a sharp smirk,

 

“Actually I do; we can match your handwriting to some of the notes; you referenced his poisoning in one of the letters.

 

 Also, he was poisoned with a specific type of shellfish oil that is almost exclusively found in higher end restaurants; like the one you were working in for about two weeks around the time…” he paused, quirking his eyebrow,

 

Brock started to shake his head, holding his hand up cautiously,

 

“Well, I can explain that, you see-”

 

He turned quickly, rushing to the edge of the stage, flying down the stairs and trying to burst into the crowd.

 

Simon moved quickly, stepping in front of him beginning to identify himself reaching quickly for his badge.

 

“I am De-” he was cut off by Brock pulling his fist back, aiming right for his jaw…

 

He dodged the blow, caught Brocks’ arm and twisted his body, pulling the larger guy off balance and bringing him to the ground, hard.

 

 _“Oomph!”_ Brock hit with a resounding thump, knocking the wind out of him

 

Simon shifted rapidly, pulling out his cuffs from his pocket, fastening Brocks hands securely behind his back.

 

“As I _was_ saying…I’m Detective Lewis, and _you_ are under arrest.”

 

He glanced up, seeing a few of the officers had Mr. Tavas secured and that Alec was nearly to his side. He was smiling slightly, looking rather impressed.

 

“Nice take down”

 

Simon shrugged carelessly, moving to stand up, pulling Brock up on his feet with him.

 

“What? We all have to take those self defense classes and I have been being picked on most of my life, I paid attention…”

 

“I’ll say you did” a slightly accented, impressed, _extremely_ appealing voice said from off to his side

 

Simon kind of handed Brock off to Alec and one of the officers before turning to see Raphael.

 

Raphael smirked

 

“That was very impressive, amor”

 

“I know” Simon sassed grinning playfully,

 

Raphael chuckled, reaching forward, catching his hand and tugging him close. Simon wrapped one arm around him, sliding the other hand up through Raphael’s hair, before settling at his cheek, pulling him into a deep, breathtakingly passionate kiss.

 

 _“Hey, you can arrest me anytime you want!”_ someone shouted, startling them into breaking the kiss.

 

Simon glanced around… A crowd had formed around them… Most of them students, they were staring at him wide eyed and amazed.

 

Simon cleared his throat, blushing brightly,

 

“Umm…okay, so there are, like, _two_ attempted murderers right over there…that is way more interesting than me and my boyfriend kissing…”

 

_“No it’s not!”_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
>  
> 
> ****  
> ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________  
>   
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
>  
> 
> _Okay so I haven’t had a chance to really edit or proof this…it is like almost 1:30am and I have to be at work at 8am so I really need to get to sleep_
> 
>  
> 
> _Hope you guys like this…_
> 
>  
> 
> _I think it wrapped up pretty well_


	12. After School Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max figures some stuff out
> 
> Simon learns a few things himself
> 
> So does Alec…
> 
> And a few others as well
> 
> A lot of learning going on here
> 
> ****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Notes: **
> 
> _Okay, so there is, like a ridiculous amount of stuff going on in here, I hope it all makes sense…_
> 
> _If not, sorry_
> 
> _I really love how this story went, though_
> 
> _Also, I never mentioned names for Brocks parents… I named them  Becky (the ensnarer) And Al (Unclear) Just FYI_

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

_“Hey, Simon, wait up a second”_

 

Simon stopped just as he was reaching the car, glancing back

 

“Max, hi, how are you doing?”

 

The teen shrugged,

 

 “I’m okay…you leaving for the day?”

 

Simon shook his head,

 

“No, just making a lunch run… the paper work from yesterday is taking _forever_ ; I needed a bit of a break. I bet Alec could use one too, he’s in at his desk, I’m sure he’d be happy to see you.”

 

“I-I was actually here looking for you…Do you think I can go with you on the lunch run?” he asked hesitantly

 

He looked really nervous

 

_Man, he hoped nothing was really wrong…_

Simon gave a slight shrug,

 

“Yeah, of course, hop in” he said, gesturing to the car

 

 He climbed in, fastening his seatbelt. Simon pulled out into traffic, waiting patiently for Max to start talking…Glancing over he looked even more nervous, he was fiddling with his seatbelt, glancing down.

 

“So…what’s up? Everything okay?”

 

Max seemed to startle slightly, glancing over,

 

 “Uh…y-yeah…everything’s fine; no new cases or anything like that at the school.”

 

“Really, Kasey isn’t convinced the math teacher is a cyborg?”

 

Max laughed slightly, shaking his head

 

“No…it’s the janitor, and he thinks that he’s a Bigfoot.”

 

Simon laughed, nodding,

 

“Yeah, I saw the guy…I can see that.”

 

“So, everything’s good with him and Isaac?”

 

“Yup, Isaac still thinks his crazy theories and active imagination are adorable…he _totally_ lucked out there.”

 

Simon glanced over, giving him a smile and faint nod,

 

“They seem great together. Isaac told me about how you set them up…that was really sweet of you, going through all that trouble to help them get together.”

 

 He gave a faint laugh,

 

 “Eh, that part wasn’t trouble, the trouble was listening to them both pine for each other for nearly a year… I did it for my sanity as much as for their happiness.”

 

Simon chuckled, nodding slightly

 

“Yeah, I can see that; you know, Magnus actually kind of did something similar to get me and Raphael together…”

 

Max quirked his eyebrow, glancing over curiously,

 

“Yeah?”

 

“ _Uh huh_ ; see, after my promotion I realized I didn’t have any, like, ‘adult’ type clothes and I kinda freaked out and called Magnus panicked asking him if he would come with me to help pick out some new work clothes, because I had no idea where to begin…

 

I’d actually only met him the day before, but he seemed really nice and I was _REALLY_ desperate. He said he would and gave me the address, but when I got there he had left and it was Raphael who opened the door…” He gave a warm, fond laugh at the memory, before glancing back over at the teen with a gentle smile,

 

“What you did for your friends was awesome…you’re a really terrific person, Max.”

 

 Max blushed slightly, smiling

 

“Thanks, Simon.”

 

He thought he had an idea what Max wanted to talk about, but didn’t want to push the kid. _He knew how sensitive the topic could be…_

_Still…just a tiny push might be necessary,_

 

“How’s Billie doing with everything?” he ventured

 

Max froze, looking nervous again

 

“Good… _great_ actually, really glad that their uncle is okay and no longer in danger…Actually, we’ve been texting almost all day.”

 

 Simon smiled, nodding slightly

 

“That’s good; Billie seems like a really great person.”

 

Max nodded animatedly, with a soft, almost dreamy smile

 

_Yup…called it_

 

“Yeah…they really are.”

 

 “It’s amazing that they’re so open about who they are: I couldn’t imagine being _that_ sure of myself back then; hell, I don’t know if I’m that self assured _now_.  It took me a good few years to figure everything out, I didn’t know what I was in high school, besides _really_ confused…”

 

Max nodded, enthusiastically

 

“Yeah, I know, it’s _amazing…_ I mean I know our school’s pretty open; there’s a lot of people who are out. I know there are people who are like, _really_ out, like Ryan. They’re just so obvious there is no question, but still for most of us it’s just, like, _a hint_ , you know?

 

But with the genderfluid thing…I mean, when someone shows up one day, like, super girly and the next looking like just one of the guys there’s no real cover for that.

 

 I met Billie freshman year and for the first month the teacher kept marking them absent because he didn’t recognize them…I actually think that’s partially why Billie started doing the really bright blue and pink hair, so regardless of what they’re wearing the teacher can still pick them out.”

 

Simon laughed shaking his head

 

“I guess that’s one way to deal with it…So you’ve known Billie a while?”

 

Max nodded quickly, brushing his hair back out of his eyes,

 

“Yeah, well, I mean, I haven’t really _known_ them… we’ve had a few classes together…usually Billie’s pretty shy… which kinda makes how open they are about themselves all the more impressive.”

 

 Simon nodded in agreement

 

“It really does… so, you really like Billie, don’t you?” he asked, gently

 

Max blushed brightly, even his ears were bright pink,

 

He gave the slightest nod

 

Simon grinned

 

“Cool; you have really good taste.”

 

 Max seemed to startle slightly, looking over at him in surprise,

 

 “Y-you don’t think it’s weird?”

 

“What’s weird?” Simon asked, baffled

 

“That I like someone whose genderfluid? I mean, like, I don’t really know what exactly that makes _me_ …it’s just… I know I’m not totally straight, but I don’t think I’m totally gay either, and I know Jace is bi, and I guess that’s _closer_ , but that still doesn’t really seem right cause he still has like really specific _‘types’_ you know? Well, ‘type’ in his case meaning attractive and star-struck over him, _but still_ …it’s like, specific things as far as guys or girls go…and I just really don’t think I do.

 

 I mean, like with Billie; I honestly don’t know if Billie’s a boy or a girl. I know that when she does the girly thing, she looks super cute and pretty, but when he shows up really boyish it’s, _well_ , it’s really cute too, and so is the kinda in-between thing with the bright colored shirts with funny sayings and quirky little things like that…

 

I really don’t know, but the thing is _, I also really don’t care_ …

 

Billie is smart and funny, really nice, and probably one of the best people I’ve ever met; I really love being around them…even if I can’t stop blushing or stuttering or _can’t shut up to save my life_ …

 

I’m kind of okay with that, cause Billie seems to be okay with it, and t-that’s kind of really awesome, because before this case thing I’d never really got a chance to talk to them and I _may_ have been under the impression that they didn’t even know who I was…

 

Except Billie _does_ , because when they found us they were shocked that I was involved and said that they always thought I was so nice, so that means not only did they know who I was, but they actually thinks positively about me, which is _REALLY_ cool.

 

 _And see_ , we were texting all day today and I think they might have been flirting, but maybe not, cause they’re really friendly and I don’t really know how to respond to that, cause I may have had a _slightly_ embarrassing crush on them for, like, a year and a half and this is really weird and I don’t know what to do and I can’t really talk to Alec or Izzy or Jace about it, cause then I’d have to explain who Billie is and I don’t think I want to go into all that, and, _god_ , I can just imagine what my parents would say and I just really wanted to talk to _someone_ about it and you were kinda the only one I could think of…

 

And…I’ve been babbling…a lot…Sorry” Max trailed off, sheepishly

 

 

Simon chuckled, grinning

 

“Dude, it’s fine…it’s actually kinda nice being on this side of the babbling for a change.”

 

Max laughed slightly, shrugging

 

“So, what do you think?”

 

Simon shrugged

 

“Like I said, I think you have great taste…I think your siblings will get it, _well_ , Alec and Izzy, Jace may be a bit confused, but I think that’s his natural state-”

 

Max chuckled

 

“I-I don’t know about your parents as I haven’t met them, and from what I’ve heard Alec say they aren’t the most accepting people-”

 

Max snorted, rolling his eyes

 

 “ _That’s_ putting it mildly…A few weeks ago Isaac came over to work on a project and they met him for the first time. I totally spaced warning him about them and they saw the rainbow flag pin on his backpack. They didn’t actually _say_ anything about it… _that might have actually been_ ** _less_** _awkward_ _._

 

They were downright obnoxious and got all freaked when we were going to go to my room to study because them hovering was making Isaac uneasy… then they made sure I left the door open all the way and kept, like, _lurking_ and popping in…

 

_It’s not funny!”_

 

“I know! I know, Sorry, it’s just… _wow_ , what’d they think was gonna happen?” Simon asks, still chuckling,

 

Max huffed, rolling his eyes throwing his hands up as much as he could in the car,

 

“ _I don’t know!_ Apparently they think homosexuality is, like, contagious or something stupid like that.  _Which_ , you’d think, as three of their four kids are out they’d have it somewhat figured out by now…

_This should NOT be this hard for me!_ They have gone through this same damn thing _three_ times…

 

I shouldn’t even have to, like, _‘come out’_ I should just be able to say ‘hey, so, you know that super awkward conversation you had with your other three kids? Well, me too’ and be done with it” he grumbled

 

Simon burst out laughing

 

“Oh my god, _dude_ , that’d be the best way to come out ever…”

 

Max grinned,

 

“I think so…sometimes I think of just blurting it out when they do stupid things like that.

 

I probably would’ve already, if I knew exactly what I’d be coming out _as._ I mean, I think Alec’s known he’s gay for as long as he could remember, Izzy had her first crush on a girl when she was, like, ten, Jace hits on anyone who is relatively hot and looks his way…but me? I just don’t know what I am-

 

I’m definitely not straight, but I don’t think I’m totally gay, and bi just doesn’t seem right either…It’s just confusing and annoying and so, _so_ frustrating…I don’t know, maybe their isn’t even a word for it” he finishes, sighing, pushing his hair back agitatedly

 

 Simon nodded in understanding

 

“Yeah, I get what you mean. It sucks when you don’t automatically fit into one of the three better known sexualities;

 

But that’s not **_all_** the options, just the most widely known…

 

For example; I’ve never really thought gender matters so far as love and attraction and all that is concerned. I think when you like a person, you like the _person_ , not whatever parts they happen to have, it’s just not about that, _it’s about_ ** _them_** _.”_

 

Simon glanced over

 

 _Max was staring at him in total amazement…_ he shook his head slowly,

 

 “T-that, _oh my god_ , that is _exactly_ what I was trying to say; h-how did you, what…” he trailed off

 

 He looked shocked and amazed and totally astonished that someone really _actually_ , got it, that it wasn’t just him…

 

Simon smiled softly…

 

_He remembered the feeling of that realization_

 

 “It’s called ‘Pansexual’ or Pan…”

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Other-Other-Other-Other-Other

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**_(Coach Cobb)_ **

Marcus took a deep breath as he stepped off the elevator making his way to Anthony’s room; clutching the bag he brought. It had a bag of chocolate covered gourmet coffee beans and the newest book in Anthony’s favorite detective series.

 

_He really hoped this went okay._

 

Magnus told him to just go for it, assured him that it would be okay, that there was no harm in at the very least trying. The guy was, supposedly, a _psychic_ …he might know what he was talking about…

 

_At least Marcus sure hoped he did…_

 

 He opened the door cautiously, slipping in the room. Anthony was sitting up, typing quickly on his laptop; he didn’t even seem to register someone coming in. He cleared his throat nervously, still hovering near the door.

 

Anthony startled slightly glancing up, seemingly confused as to why he was there. He turned, closing his laptop and sitting it aside.

 

 “Coach Cobb? Hello, what are you doing here?” he asked inquisitively

 

Marcus shrugged faintly,

 

“Well, you know, with everything that’s happened in the last few days, I-I just wanted to come see how you were doing with everything…I was kind of worried; I wanted to see if you needed anything.”

 

 He looked rather surprised at the concern

 

“I-thank you, that is very considerate …it actually has been quite a shock. I mean, I realize that quite a few of the students aren’t particularly _fond_ of me, but I never imagined one would go so far as to actually try to hurt me… it’s more than a bit disconcerting…”

 

 Marcus huffed out a disbelieving laugh, nodding, moving a bit closer to the bed, setting the bag down next to the laptop.

 

“Yeah, I really couldn’t believe it myself; when Magnus told me that your accident was actually intentional, I just couldn’t believe it; then when he said you had actually been receiving _threats_?

 

I wish you would have told someone, this could have been so much worse…”

 

Anthony shrugged slightly, blushing a bit

 

“I know, _well_ I realize that now; at the time I really thought it was just a prank, someone angry with their grade trying to scare me…It never occurred to me that they were real, _legitimate_ , threats. Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought I was interesting enough to warrant something like this…”

 

 Marcus chuckled, raising an eyebrow

 

“Well, apparently to the Tavas’ you were; Becky was totally obsessed with you, Al was _beyond_ jealous, convinced you were stealing his wife, and Brock was so determined to stay on the football team that he manipulated both his parents into playing parts in his twisted little scheme to get rid of you…

which is _creepy as_ ** _hell_** , by the way”

 

 Anthony nodded animatedly

 

“I know, right! When Detective Lightwood came by and told me all the details I just couldn’t believe it: I am a science teacher whose only hobbies are reading, bird watching, and gourmet coffee…

 

How in the heck did I end up a target for not one, but _two_ sociopathic attempted murderers; one of which was targeting me because he thought I was having an affair with his _wife?_ How did I end up caught up in a crazy love triangle when I have absolutely NO interest whatsoever in _any_ of the parties involved?

 

_How does that even happen?!”_

 

 Marcus laughed

 

“Guess you don’t realize just how appealing you actually are” He said with a warm, affectionate smile

 

Anthony’s eyes widened at the comment

 

“Umm…I, uh, I guess not” he stammered, blushing slightly and glancing back at him consideringly

 

“ I-I’m glad you came to see me…Marcus” he said somewhat shyly

 

Marcus grinned

 

_Maybe Magnus was right after all_

****

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon-Simon

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

"Simon, _amor_ , you know I love having you around, but you can’t just hide out here forever…eventually you have to go back to the station.”

 

 “Ugh, I know! But that is just too much” he groaned

 

So far today there had been no fewer than _twelve_ teens from the school stopping by the station, asking about volunteering or interning or something …and every last one of them had asked about ‘Detective Lewis’…

 

_He never thought he’d actually get tired of people calling him that…_

 

The officers at the precinct were teasing him mercilessly; he’d finally ducked out around three, heading over to Magnus’s agency for a bit of peace.

 

_Of course that peace came with Magnus…_

 

_Maybe the teens weren’t so bad._

 

 “Well darling; you really only have yourself to blame…you were just so intriguing, how could they not become infatuated?” Magnus said with a grin

 

Simon rolled his eyes

 

“ _You were there too!_ Why don’t you have fanboys and girls hovering around you?”

 

“I suppose I just didn’t make as much of an impression, dear”

 

 “That is j-”

 

Simon was cut off by the bell over the door chiming

 

 “Hello!” A vaguely familiar voice called

 

“Divya? Back here darling.”

 

 Divya wandered into the back room where Magnus, Simon and Raphael were situated

 

“Hey, guys…nice place Magnus, I love it.” she said grinning

 

“Why, thank you darling. That is very sweet.”

 

She trailed over, leaning against one of the desks next to Magnus, glancing around the shop before looking back at him hopefully.

 

“So, I’m just gonna throw this out there; I really liked helping on the case…I was actually wondering if you needed an intern or anything like that” She paused glancing over at Simon raising her eyebrow with a teasing smirk,

 

 _Oh_ , speaking of which…

 

Hi Simon, so, I hear you got some admirers?”

 

 Simon rolled his eyes, nodding

 

“Oh my god, yes! They’re hanging out at my work! Freaking _Jackson_ came by, asking if we had any openings for interns…I don’t know what the hell to do!”

 

She laughed

 

 “ _Aww_ …you were just irresistible, us poor, impressionable teenagers couldn’t cope.” she said, batting her eyes exaggeratedly

 

Simon gave a nervous laugh, blushing

 

“Umm…uh…D-Divya? You remember I have a boyfriend? Right?” he asks, uncertainly,

 

He as casually as possible moved closer to Raphael slipping his arm around him.

 

She bursts out giggling, shaking her head,

 

“Oh, oh, dude, _no_ …no offense, but even if I actually _did_ have a type, _you_ wouldn’t be it…” she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

 

“Uhh…okay, good, I think…why? _I mean_ that’s good and everything…but why?” he said confused

 

She shook her head again, trying to catch her breath, looking back up at him with a bright grin,

“ _Sorry_ , just…First off, my brother has, like, a major crush on you, so even if I actually _was_ interested in guys, it would definitely not be one that my older brother had the hots for…just, _eww_ …

 

And secondly, like I said, I’m not really into guys, or, really practically anyone else for that matter.

 

I’m actually Ace and almost entirely Aromantic…I mean, every great once in a while I find girls aesthetically attractive, but I’m still not really interested in dating and all that stuff, I have much better things to focus on than all that mess…” she said with a vaguely waiving hand gesture

 

Simon nodded, relieved

 

“Speaking of which, about that internship type thing…”

 

Magnus laughed in surprise, “Well, dear, that is a lovely idea, but I don’t thin-”

 

“You’re hired…when can you start?” Raphael interrupted,

 

“ _Hey!_ You can’t hire someone!” Magnus snapped

 

Raphael shrugged, nodding,

 

“Yeah, I can…

 

So, like I said, when can you start?”

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

         “Oh, hello darling; Simon and Raphael are out getting dinner, I didn’t think you were coming over until later, not that you aren’t welcome, of course…” Magnus greeted Alec happily

 

“Yeah, I know… I wasn’t going to, but I kind of wanted to talk to you…”

 

“About what, dear?”

 

 Alec shifted uncomfortably

 

“A-about the other night; the stakeout…”

 

Magnus blushes a bit, moving slightly closer

 

“What about it, sweetheart?”

 

“I-I wanted to apologize, I know I got kinda carried away…”

 

Magnus smiled shaking his head and waving him off

 

 “Oh, Darling, it is fine, there’s no need to apologize, I did start it, after all. Besides, I rather think we both got carried away.”

 

Alec blushed more, ducking his head slightly,

 

“Umm… I, well, I just… I wan-”

 

Magnus sighed, shaking his head, moving closer to Alec,

 

“ _Sweetheart_ , it really is quite alright, it was for a case, and it did work for our cover, so it all worked out in the end…”

 

“I know it’s…”

 

“Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time you kissed me…” Magnus muttered mostly to himself, then froze, realizing what he said

 

“What?” Alec asked, confused

 

“Umm…huh?”

 

Alec tilted his head in confusion,

 

“What do you mean ‘it’s not the first time I’ve kissed you?”

 

 Magnus actually blushed faintly, glancing down

 

_It was far too distracting,_

 

“Uh… t-the night I found you in the bar? You may have kind of…kissed me…” he said, almost guiltily

 

“W-what?!  I, I, but you said I didn’t do anything embarrassing!” Alec stammered

 

“You didn’t-”

 

 “Magnus, what, _exactly_ , did I do?” he asked alarmed

 

Magnus sighed faintly

 

“It’s n-”

 

“Please Magnus, just tell me; whatever it is you know I’ll just think the worst…you said as much during the stake out.”

 

Magnus huffed faintly,

 

 “Oh, very well… I-I was trying to get you to believe what I was saying, that I wasn’t simply flattering you just to make you feel better, that I was being sincere, but it was rather a lost cause…

 

I finally gave up, settling on talking to you again when you were a bit more in your right mind. I signaled the waitress, settling your bill and put my arm around you to help you to your car…

 

I-I said, ‘let’s get you home’ and, _um_ …” Magnus trailed off, brushing his hair back slightly, and blushing even brighter

 

_Oh, wow…that was really distracting_

 

 “Y-you kind of thought I meant something else… You put your arm around me and asked if I was taking you home-”

 

_Oh, crap_

 

_The kiss_

 

_It hadn’t been a dream_

 

“I what?” Alec exclaimed, shocked

 

 Magnus nodded,

 

“Umm…yeah, then you kind of pulled me close and kissed me”

 

“Oh, god, I am _so_ sorry-”

 

Magnus stopped him, resting his hand on Alec’s arm

 

“ _Darling_ , please stop apologizing…”

 

“But I-”

 

Magnus huffed slightly, rolling his eyes

 

“ _Alexander_ ; just stop… you never have to apologize for kissing me, _ever_. I will never mind, and it will never be unwelcome, okay?”

 

Alec just stared, totally astounded

 

_Okay, this must be a dream…_

 

Magnus shook his head giving him a warm, soft smile,

 

“Sweetheart, why would it bother me? You are one of the most wonderful people I have ever met…

 

 _Besides_ … I kiss you quite often, does it bother you?”

 

Alec blushed, smiling faintly

 

“Well, no…”

 

“Should _I_ apologize for it? Or try to stop?”

 

 _“NO_ ** _!_** Uh…no, I-it’s fine”

 

Magnus smiled affectionately, breathing a slight sigh of relief and giving a faint nod

 

“ _Good_ … Because I really don’t believe I would be able to…” he said softly

 

Magnus drifted closer with that warm, soft, distracting look that always seemed to make Alec breathless and slightly dazed

 

_Yeah, definitely a dream…_

 

“So, if it’s t-”

 

“Hey Magnus, oh _awesome_ , Alec’s already here, we got the food, I think Netflix just got a bunch of new movies uploaded so we have all kind of options…” Simon chattered away as they entered the apartment

 

Magnus gave Alec a slightly apologetic smile, squeezing his arm gently before turning towards Simon.

 

“That’s wonderful dear; I’ll get us some plates, why don’t you pick us out something”

 

_Okay…not a dream…_

 

 _He defiantly never dreamed about_ **_Simon_ **

 

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

#  Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

****

They settle in the living room to watch the movie. Simon and Raphael curl up on the lounge, Magnus and Alec settling on the couch. The lights are low, and it’s quiet and peaceful. Some random superhero movie is playing. Magnus is right next to him,

 

All in all it’s a pretty perfect evening.

 

 Alec takes a deep breath, scooting just a bit closer… he glances over, somewhat nervously. He takes another deep breath, and cautiously slips his arm around Magnus.

 

He holds his breath,

 

Magnus hums, happily,

 

He leans over, resting his head on Alec’s shoulder. Magnus laughs lightly at something on the screen, gently taking Alec’s hand in his, absentmindedly playing with his fingers.

 

Alec feels his heart race, and leans his head against Magnus’s.

 

He feels, more than hears, Magnus sigh contentedly, settling even closer.

 

_Alec has no idea what movie they’re watching, but he thinks it’s his new favorite_

#  **_The End…_ **

#  **_…For Now_ **

#  *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> ** ______________End Of Chapter/Notes___________ **
> 
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
> 
> So…what do you guys think?
> 
> I know there was a LOT in this last chapter, but I just couldn’t cut any of it out…
> 
> I really love how this series is going
> 
> I really never intended to have so many OC’s much less have them stick around, but I have a feeling more than a few will…
> 
> I know I’m gonna have Max back, and I really like how his friends turned out…
> 
> I know the pronoun thing with Billie may have been kinda confusing, but I hope I did it in a way that it made sense…
> 
>  
> 
> So, Tomorrow I should have the next story started…
> 
> Just a heads up: It’s also gonna be way out of my wheel house, just in a whole new way…
> 
> It’s gonna be a crossover with The Librarians, and FYI, it may lean a bit heavily into that world
> 
> ** -For those of you who don’t watch that show (you should, it’s awesome) a quick intro **
> 
>  it is about three people called ‘Librarians; a brilliant mathematical genius (Cassandra, she may not show up…I love her, but she’s not part of my Ship for this show…Though on the show she was dating a really cool Vampire girl for a while…and I’m pretty sure she’s actually had more luck with women than both the guys on the team put together…on one episode she was literally ‘prince charming’ {Seriously, you should totally watch this show}
> 
> My pairing for this show is Ezekiel and Jake…
> 
> They’re the ones, who’ll show up,
> 
> Ezekiel Jones is one of the best thieves in the world…he’s also kind of a prankster, and has a really cute Australian accent…, Jake is a Cowboy from Oklahoma, in  actuality he is a genius who has majors in art and history, and knows and speaks many languages.
> 
>  They track down magical objects and try to protect the world from Magic and keep it hidden. With the help of an immortal caretaker of the Library and their Guardian, who is tasked with trying to keep them alive…
> 
> It’s crazy and it’s fun and totally off the wall…
> 
> I have a feeling the story may seem like it doesn’t really ‘fit’ in this universe, in a lot of parts,  but I think I have a fix (Anyone who watches the show can probably figure out how we can make it work, for others…well, it’ll be a surprise) I am really looking forward to it 
> 
> They are going to be working a case at a Scifi convention…Simon will be ecstatic,
> 
> I have a feeling Magnus and Ezekiel will get along really well…and will end up getting into more than a bit of trouble… Much to Alec and Jakes exasperation…
> 
> It’s gonna be a lot of fun
> 
> As always, thanks so much for reading and commenting
> 
> You guys are awesome…
> 
> Okay so, bit  of a sneak peak cause i can't wait...
> 
> this is the cover for the next one...
> 
> I've been hesitant to start because the Librarian's is a totally different universe compaired to a detective series and  I love this series so much I didn't want to screw it up...
> 
> I WAS going to do the kind of predictable thing and have an artifact that erases memories of Magic, but that seemed kinda boreing and too much like the 'it was all a dream' trope that is so annoying...
> 
> I think i have a fix though, and it is WAY better, I'm Really excited...
> 
> I should have the first Chapter up by late tomorrow night,
> 
>  


End file.
